Shadow Realm PI
by Cyber Commander
Summary: In the crazy, mixed up world that is the Central Shadow Realm, big things sometimes come out of small ones. A fanfic set in the setting of Man Called True's Shadow Realm Fifteen. The conclusion is up!
1. The Reliable Guardian

_Greetings fanfic fans._

_And welcome to "Shadow Realm: P.I."! It's a fanfic that follows in the footsteps of Man Called True's great fic, "Shadow Realm: Fifteen". I'd like to give him credit right now for creating this great setting. He did a great job._

_One warning: I got permission from him to do this fic, and if you want to do a story in this setting, you must get the same – from him, not me. I give no promise that he will grant it._

_Now, some words… _

This fanfic takes place approximately one year after the events of "Shadow Realm: Fifteen". That fanfic will not be referenced much, as I hope to be independent of it. However, I'll be conforming to the rules that MCT set forth for the setting. And by the way, he set forth a lot of them.

There's not much to say otherwise, because this fic has nothing to do with dueling. It isn't even a real Yu-Gi-Oh fic, to tell the truth. The fact of the matter is, MCT created a whole new setting with nearly infinite possibilities. I'd like to encourage other writers with some understanding of the game to use his guidelines to create their own CSR fics – again, with his permission, of course.

Anyway… on with the show!

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**SHADOW REALM: P.I. **

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A fanfic by Cyber Commander

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Based on the setting created by Man Called True **

**Creative rights to him.**

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**_It's a crazy, mixed-up world. Most of us would agree on that. Just when you think you've seen it all, just when you think you've seen all the ugly, vile stuff that the world has to offer, the world comes up with something uglier and viler. With so many crazy things happening, it's a wonder anyone bothers to get out of bed in the morning. _**

But we take a lot of thinks for granted. We think this is the only world there is, and as far as we're concerned, that's the truth. There are no other worlds for us to live in. We were born to live in this world, so we might as well live in it, no matter how crazy it is.

Still, there are other worlds beyond our awareness. In one corner of the universe, there's a world that some people call "The Dominion of Beasts"…

A fancy name that humans who know of it made up. The inhabitants would likely laugh at such a weird name. To them, it's simply the Shadow Realm. And the place that most of the population knows of is the Central Shadow Realm.

And the creatures that live there often make the same assumption that we do – that the world they live in is a crazy, mixed-up world. All monsters, rich or poor, powerful or weak, make that assumption at some point in their life.

But let's make a hypothetical situation if we may. It could never truly happen, but let's say that it could. Say that a monster from the Central Shadow Realm were to come to Earth. It doesn't really matter what kind of monster, so long as it were a smart one.

Say that monster could pose as a human, and live on Earth for one year before going home. Say that it could have the same job and status as it had in its home world.

If it were asked to make a comparison after that year, it would almost certainly say that its world was a whole lot more crazy and mixed-up than ours was. It would probably even add that our world was rather boring.

Know why?

Because its world is the Central Shadow Realm.

The reason isn't any more complicated than that.

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**CHAPTER ONE**

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The Reliable Guardian

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In the Level Four Warrior and Beast-Warrior Living Quarters, a building with the word "Spaces For Rent" stood among other shops and businesses. This place was type of building that was used by businesses that really didn't need a building of their own. Private businesses.

About half of the spaces were currently being rented. The place was owned by a Warrior of Tradition who owned several buildings in the neighborhood. Once you got used to that huge cleaver she always had, she was a pretty good landlady who didn't bother you much as long as you paid the rent on time. (Someone had started a rumor that she had once beheaded someone who didn't, but the guy who started the rumor turned out to be a Dream Clown. They were always playing jokes that no-one else found very funny.)

There were a variety of offices here. One profitable business belonged to a Hero of the East who had a profitable exterminating business. His success lay in the special spell cubes he had commissioned. An old legend told of a spell called Exile of the Wicked that could destroy every Fiend in its area of effect – fortunately, such a genocidal spell was only a myth. But this guy had managed to start a business using a version of Exile of the Wicked that only destroyed Kuribohs. He could clear an apartment of the pests in five minutes, and a large building in an hour. Sure, these spell cubes cost money, but his work was in such demand, he was making very little overhead.

Another office was run by a Kojikocy who worked as a bodyguard for anyone who needed one on a temporary basis. He wasn't as tough as he looked – on his own. But he did always have a Fusion Sword Murasame Blade handy that came as a surprise to anyone who thought he was weak. Not many knew exactly where he got these expensive spell cubes…

At least one person knew the truth: He had once saved the life of one of the Warrior and Beast-Warrior Living Quarters's richest residents, the Mystical Knight of Jackal who named himself Musafa. He owned one of the Penthouse apartments, and he had a great deal of enemies. At one point, he was the target of an assassin – a Skull Knight #2 who was likely a hired gun (the Dark Ruler was suspected, but it was never proven). The Skull Knight tried to shoot Musafa with an Ookazi gun (in the back, no less), but the Kojikocy saw him and struck the Fiend down before he fired.

After that, Musafa hired the Kojikocy as a bodyguard, and when the Warrior went into business, Musafa kept supplying him with spell cubes.

The one who knew this, who owned the office next to his, thought that having a Level Seven monster as a benefactor must have been swell… Jealousy was beyond him, but it still would have been swell…

His office?

The nameplate on the door said:

**OCG E-013-Z **

Private Investigator

Inside the office, it was clean, but drab. The occupant didn't care much for décor. Shelves and closets held his clothes and personal belongings, and a bed was stashed in the wall (this was also his apartment – he couldn't afford both an office and an apartment, so he lived in his office). A china cabinet held some dishes and cups (they were mostly for show – they were so fancy, he didn't like to eat off of them), and a bookshelf held various tomes. A couch was by the bookshelf, and a desk was situated with the chair to the window…

On a hook by the window was a sword in a sheath. The occupant was never far from it. He was holding it in his hand when he had appeared out of nowhere, scared and confused, in the Fiend Living Quarters, fifty-five years ago.

He wasn't very scared and confused now. Not much scared him anymore.

Right now he was sitting at his desk, reading the newspaper. His clothing was pretty typical of a Warrior: His armor had a green and brown color scheme, and had a matching cape. (He had many times considered ditching the cape, because it tended to get in the way of anything he did that didn't involve a fight. Some law of fate stated that a Warrior's cape would never hinder him when he did what he was supposed to do, but anytime else, it was a pain. However, every time he decided to get rid of it, he felt naked without it, and put it back on.) His helmet was currently resting on the desk.

His face was handsome, if a bit feral. He had sharp features, and large, green eyes. His ears were a little too big and pointed.

He was an Obnoxious Celtic Guardian. Every two days, on average, he wondered intently just what the first members of his species had done to deserve being labeled "obnoxious". Of the members of his own kind that he knew of, they were pretty nice guys…

He admittedly _wasn't_ a very nice guy himself – so maybe he deserved the title.

One co-worker had once half-jokingly given him a how-to book called _How To Be Nice_. Books like that made him laugh. You were either a nice person or you were not a nice person. He was _not_ a nice person… He could have memorized that book, and it wouldn't have helped.

Like the sign outside his office said, his number was OCG E-013-Z. The Z in it gave him a pretty strange predicament. Fully twenty-six Guardians with his number had lived before him. He had been told at Beginner's Hall that they all had been killed within ten years of their creation. When he had asked why, the best answer that could be given was that thirteen was an unlucky number. The Forgiving Maidens had felt sorry for him at the time…

Understandably, he'd been frightened for the first ten years of his life… And nervous for the next ten… But after that, he had decided that the curse connected with his number had run its course. At the current time, he had lived more than five times longer than any other Guardians with his number, and he wasn't worried.

Of course, that didn't make having that particular number pleasant. Since his number started with E and ended with Z, people started calling him EZ, or "Easy". He got the joke quickly – the nickname had been earned for the same reason some Giant Orcs were called "Tiny". Giant Orcs were too dumb to get it, but he was smart. Unfortunately, the nickname persisted, and eventually he decided to accept it rather than fight it.

He read the headlines again…

He smirked. The Dark Magician Knight was in the news again. Something about him defending a Mystical Elf who had been bullied by a Lesser Fiend…

That was the most interesting thing that had happened last year in this part of town. EZ knew that the original Dark Magician Knight had been killed in the First Dragon War, along with the original Dark Magician, but just last year, a second one had appeared. Recently, he had taken up residence in the richest part of the Warrior Quarters, just a stone's throw from the Buster Blader's penthouse. (A common rumor was that the Council's Warrior Representative didn't like him that much – it made sense because the Buster Blader didn't like the Dark Magician that much, and with a name like "Dark Magician Knight"…)

He was very eccentric, as far as a high-level Monster was concerned. Most of them didn't care much about the welfare of low-level citizens, thinking them a necessary evil at best or gutter-trash at worst. This guy was an exception. He seemed truly concerned about folks like EZ, and even Monsters lower than him. Exactly why, he didn't know.

The point was even proven by a companion he had, a Magician's Valkyria. Publicly, he claimed she was a page, but it was a poorly kept secret that she was his girlfriend. Exactly how a Warrior (even one with the word "Magician" in his name) had fallen for a Spellcaster, he'd probably never know.

EZ sighed and put down his paper.

He wondered if the guy needed a bodyguard of his own, or even just somebody to polish his armor. It would be a better job that this.

He could make a good bodyguard – he could certainly throw himself in front of anything that was powerful enough to kill someone with as much power as the Dark Magician.

See, Obnoxious Celtic Guardians had one thing that separated them from ordinary Celtic Guardians. The two species looked identical, but his species was set apart.

The most common way for a monster to die, as sad as it was, was for it to be killed by another one. The murder rate in the city was high, and one statistic said that Level One Monsters were killed at the rate of ten per hour.

In a one-on-one fight between two monsters, without any extra help or protection, the one who was stronger would kill the one who was weaker.

That wasn't always the case in EZ's situation. He could be killed by a monster who was stronger, but not if said monster was stronger beyond a certain point. If the monster was any stronger than a Mechanicalchaser (for instance), he would survive.

The problem was, a lot of people gave his species more credit than they should have gotten. Some people thought that if an Obnoxious Celtic Guardian was blasted by the white lightning of one the Blue-Eyes White Dragons, he'd just smile and wave.

That wasn't true, and EZ knew it. He'd _survive_ if that happened…

But he'd likely be thrown back a thousand feet, be knocked out cold for two days, and wake up with most of his bones broken. His race wasn't indestructible, and they'd be the first ones to tell you that.

Still, their ability to survive blows from strong monsters made them ideal candidates for the police force…

And that had been EZ's job, up until two years ago, when he quit for reasons he didn't like sharing.

He sighed. It looked like he wasn't going to get any customers today.

He looked at the clock – half past four. Work would be getting out soon for most monsters.

He placed his helmet on his head and strapped his sword onto his belt.

It wouldn't hurt to be more… sociable.

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As he left the building he noticed that someone was watching him…

It was a female Warrior in very revealing clothing – a halter and a breechcloth, as well as a short, tattered cape and headdress. A sword similar to his was strapped to her belt.

She looked at him with an expression that didn't seem at all friendly. He stared back.

EZ knew better than to say anything. The best way to deal with an Amazon was just not to deal with them, especially if you were a male monster, whom they had a great dislike for.

Eventually, the Paladin simply turned and left without a word.

EZ wondered what the heck that was about. She was pretty far away from the part of the Warrior Quarters where they had grouped together, and they _weren't_ all that sociable.

"Meh," he said with a shrug.

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In the busier part of the Level Four Warrior and Beast-Warrior Living Quarters was the Shield and Sword. It was the best bar where a Warrior of Level Four or lower could get a drink and a bowl of potato chips, and the place was pretty safe. It didn't usually tolerate fighting or other roughhousing. The bartender made sure of that. Very few folks wanted to get on a Garoozis's bad side, and rumor was he actually had an Axe of Despair behind the bar in case his own axe wasn't enough.

When EZ came in, it was as busy as it usually was. A Command Knight and a Kanan the Swordmistress were at the bar. A Hunter With 7 Weapons (armed to the teeth of course – EZ wondered why they needed so many) was sharing a table with a Marauding Captain. A Goblin Attack Force was at another table, holding what appeared to be a drinking contest. They'd likely be thrown out once they got rowdy.

EZ saw someone he knew at a table. It was a Hibikime.

These Warriors were some of the more unusual of the type. They didn't wear anything that suggested a Warrior, wearing a plain green dress. Even weirder was their choice of weapons – scythes shaped like musical notes. They looked similar to Sonic Maids – a common theory was that the two races were once the same race, but split into two in ancient times, but if either race knew the truth, they weren't telling.

Both races weren't the type to enlist in the army or the police force. They were more or less artists. They were Warriors, but not very good ones.

Of course, EZ's landlady had once been a Sonic Maid… She and a Beautiful Headhuntress…

"So, Ninety-Nine," he said, sitting down. "How goes the oils? Sell anything lately?"

"Enough…" she sighed. "It beats having to get a real job… You know how artists are, EZ, they don't get paid until they die."

"That's an old joke, Ninety-Nine," he replied.

A Swordsman of Landstar came up to the table.

"Gin and tonic, please," said EZ.

The Swordsman nodded and went back to the bar.

"Why don't you ask him to pose for you?" he suggested, half jokingly. "I mean, who could resist something that cute?"

"What about you?" asked Ninety-Nine, not responding to the joke. "How's the private eye business?"

EZ sighed.

"Like you said," he answered, "enough, and it beats having to get a real job…"

Ninety-Nine looked at him.

"You know, EZ," she said, "you're only holding yourself back. You left a great job that had a great future, and it's not too late. Inspector Gonzap would just love to have you…"

"No!" interrupted EZ.

The whole bar noticed the remark.

"Ninety-Nine, we've been through this before," he continued, "going back on the force wouldn't do anyone a bit of good…"

"Yes it would!" she insisted. "Are you going to torture yourself your whole life because of one isolated incident?"

"It wasn't an isolated incident…" he muttered.

"It wasn't your fault!" she said.

"Yeah, right…" he said with a scowl. "All right, fine, I'll rejoin the force the same day you manage to become an Empress Judge…"

As soon as he said that, he regretted saying it. And upon seeing the look on Ninety-Nine's face, he was even sorrier.

If it were possible for a monster to fuse with another, it usually wanted to. A fusion was one of the best ways to improve your station in a place where station usually couldn't change. Two low-level monsters could become one high-level monster, and even better, fusion monsters got a lot more respect than other monsters of the same rank.

It was possible for a Hibikime to fuse with a Queen's Double to become an Empress Judge…

The only problem was, for most monsters like this, fusion was a dream that couldn't be reached. Polymerization spell cubes were only available by special order, and were among the most expensive spells that could be legally purchased.

And EZ had probably just rubbed Ninety-Nine's nose in it.

Ninety-Nine crossed her arms. The waiter came up to the table with the drink.

"Well how do you know I'm not planning that?" she asked, somewhat annoyed. "Maybe I happen to know a Queen's Double, and we're planning to do just that!"

EZ sighed.

He knew that wasn't likely. Ninety-Nine's painting had only resulted in one major sale since he had known her. He never told her this, but she was a poor excuse for a Warrior, AND a poor artist. He was a friend only because of an incident that had happened five years ago. It was a long story, but suffice to say that even a poor excuse for a Warrior is better than no Warrior.

And the only way a Queen's Double could ever contribute money to something so expensive – maybe – was if the Queen's Double in question was the one that represented low-level monsters on the Shadow Council.

_What was her name again?_ thought EZ. _I always forget…_

"I just might take you up on that deal!" she snapped.

"Fine," chuckled EZ. "You fuse into an Empress Judge, and I'll rejoin the force. Deal?"

He held out his hand.

The two shook on it.

"You go back on your word," she warned, "and when I do, I'm gonna kill you…"

"Hey, I don't go back on my word…" he assured her with a chuckle.

_I'm completely safe,_ he thought. _I'll be in the Graveyard before she…_

Then his train of thought was interrupted as the door opened, and an intimidating figure came in.

The bar was silenced.

"Speak of the devil," muttered EZ.

The Dark Blade strode up to the bar, and everyone stared with frightened looks. The Swordsman of Landstar hid behind Ninety-Nine's chair, and even the Garoozis looked nervous.

He went up to where the Command Knight and the Kanan were seated.

"Is this seat taken?" he asked.

The two Warriors jumped off their stools and ran to the other side of the bar.

"Didn't think so," muttered the Dark Blade, sitting down.

The only other monster in this place right now that wasn't intimidated was EZ. He was, in fact, disgusted.

_Of all the bars in all the Quarters in all the Central Shadow Realm, he had to walk into this one,_ he thought.

Dark Blades weren't all that special as far as monsters went, but a rumor among those who didn't know better stated that they came from the Dark World. Some people thought them servants of the Dark World Fiends or even the Archfiends.

EZ knew that the rumor was nonsense. They had likely started the rumor themselves, and they did nothing to discourage it, because they _liked_ having folks afraid of them.

And this particular Dark Blade was one that EZ remembered. He had arrested him three years ago for assault and battery (the victim had been a Shadow Tamer – this guy was not only a thug, he was a bully on top of it).

EZ straitened his helmet and walked up to where the Dark Blade was sitting.

"Bartender!" ordered the Dark Blade. "Whiskey."

"You ever hear of the word 'please', Twenty-One?" asked EZ, sarcastically. "It's a phrase that works wonders."

The Dark Blade turned his head, and his eyes narrowed.

"So when did they let you out?" asked EZ.

"Last week, no thanks to you," muttered Twenty-One. "Be grateful that I'm not a vindictive guy. Now get lost."

"If your attitude is any indication, three years in the pen didn't seem to change you much…" replied EZ.

They stared at each other for a minute.

"I may not be on the force anymore, Twenty-One," remarked EZ, "but I have connections. If anyone around here is mugged and I find out that you're responsible…"

Then the Dark Blade laughed.

"Not on the force anymore?" he laughed. "What happened, were you canned?"

"No, I was not 'canned'!" shouted EZ. "I quit…"

"Quit?" chuckled Twenty-One, somewhat surprised. "Why? Don't tell me that Sergeant Easy found his job too difficult!"

They stared at each other for a few seconds.

"Maybe you just got sick of that nickname, is that it?" he asked.

EZ grit his teeth.

"No, I know, there was a case that you just couldn't handle?" asked Twenty-One. "You always were a perfectionist…"

EZ clenched his fist…

"Guys, please," said the Garoozis. "This is happy hour… We don't have an angry hour…"

"YOU be quiet!" snapped the Blade.

The Beast-Warrior slunk under the bar. He knew something was about to happen.

EZ fingered something in his pocket.

"I know," chuckled the Blade. "You finally got the nerve to ask that Pyro out on a date, and then she dumped you, and then working with her was too… awkward. Am I right?

"You know what they say pal, love is fickle at the best of…"

He was interrupted as EZ's fist slammed into face.

The Dark Blade fell against the opposite wall, and slumped down on the floor. He was out cold.

Everyone looked to see an incredibly angry Obnoxious Celtic Guardian deactivating a Rush Recklessly cube.

That _had_ been pretty reckless, but this guy had crossed the fine line.

EZ threw a five-spot on the counter.

"Sorry about that," he muttered. "Do me a favor… When he comes to, tell him that if he ever mentions Elfour again, I'm punching his ticket to Pandemonium."

He stormed out of the bar.

The Swordsman of Landstar had been hiding behind Ninety-Nine's chair this whole time.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Elfour was his partner… and one of his friends before a casualty happened," answered Ninety-Nine.

"Did some crook kill her?" he asked.

"No…" sighed Ninety-Nine.

She paused.

_"He_ did…"

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EZ sat on a bench on the sidewalk, sulking.

In under an hour, two monsters – one a friend, and one some cheap thug – had reminded him of one of the worst experiences of his life.

He hadn't been a bad cop. He had roughed up a few crooks who had deserved it, but then again, a lot of cops did that.

He hadn't broken any laws while on the force, even though he had bent a few sometimes to achieve a greater justice…

But something happened two years ago that he wondered if he ever would forgive himself for.

It all started with an Earl of Demise who had a sick sense of humor. He got ahold of a Change of Heart cube. Exactly how he had gotten it, no-one ever knew. Even owning them was a serious felony, because whoever used it could turn another monster into his absolute slave.

And he used it… On another cop. A Lady Assailant of Flames. Everyone simply called her Elfour, seeing as her number was LAF L-004-D.

Elfour had been a close friend of EZ for a long time. They had handled a great many cases as partners…

But when that spell cube took effect, she didn't recognize him or anyone else anymore. She turned on her fellow officers – three of them were gunned down before anyone realized what had happened.

They tried to restrain her, hoping to find the Fiend and deactivate the spell cube. But she couldn't be stopped. She had been trained too well, and had a virtual arsenal of spell and trap cubes at her disposal, specially designed for Pyros. Ten more cops died before EZ realized that only one option remained…

The terrible scene played out in EZ's mind almost every night since it happed…

Elfour activated a Salamandra, only to have EZ destroy it with a Magic Jammer; followed by EZ activating his Legendary Sword…

…followed by a scream from Elfour, before she collapsed, and shattered into a thousand pieces…

…followed by EZ sobbing for an hour.

No one had told him to do it – he had made the decision on his own, and most of his fellow cops thought it was the right one.

He, however, didn't. He regretted it after he did so, thinking that there had to have been another solution, even though he had never thought of one since then.

They eventually caught the Earl of Demise who was responsible. When they asked why he had done it, the only excuse the lunatic could give was, "I was bored."

Fourteen lives lost because some maniac was bored.

Inspector Gonzap had tried to console EZ with a lot of bunk, saying things like, "It was her or you," and "You were just doing your job," and even the dreaded "She knew the job was dangerous when she took it."

It didn't change the fact that he had killed someone who was a colleague, a friend, and who was as much an innocent as the ones she had gunned down.

It was too much a burden for any monster. Despite Gonzap's protests, he turned in his badge.

As he was thinking this, he heard wicked laughter behind him…

He turned and saw what it was.

He frowned.

A Headless Knight.

_What is this weirdo doing here?_ he thought. _If Fiends start moving into here, it's going to ruin the neighborhood…_

"Sergeant EZ…" chuckled the Fiend. "Remember me?"

Every time EZ saw one of these guys, he wondered how they could talk. Of course, that then led to him wondering how they managed to see, hear, eat, and do everything else that required a head, which made him wonder just who was in charge of creating monsters. Whoever it was, he must have been drunk when he thought up these guys.

"Yeah," he said sarcastically. "I know a lot of guys who are missing major body parts. You could be any one of them."

"You still have the same wit that you did three years ago," chuckled the Fiend.

"All right, enough jokes," muttered EZ. "Who are you, and what do you want?"

"You don't remember me?" asked the Knight. "You personally busted me for armed robbery!"

"Do you know how little that narrows it down?" asked EZ, now annoyed.

He couldn't believe this – in a two-hour period he had met two jerks he had arrested who were out of jail again. This guy obviously wasn't as memorable as that Dark Blade, but it was ridiculous. The justice system in this city just didn't work…

"Well, you may not remember me, but I sure remember you…" said the Knight.

"Okay, I'm done being polite," sighed EZ, fingering the spell cube in his pocket. "I'm only gonna say this once…"

He stood up and turned his back to the Fiend.

"Get lost before I knock your block off. Oh right, you don't have a block to knock off… Well, get lost anyway."

The Headless Knight growled…

"I don't think so…" he said.

The Fiend pulled his sword out of his sheath…

And with a loud clang, it flew from his hand.

EZ was now standing before him, angrier than ever, and with a Legendary Sword in his hand.

"Uh oh…" muttered the Knight.

EZ was not done with him.

He grabbed the Fiend by the armor, and slammed him against the bench.

"Listen brainless," he growled, "I've had a bad day, and you just made it worse. But since I'm so considerate, I'm more than willing to pretend this little incident never happened. However, if I so much as see you in this part of town again, I'm gonna do _this_ to you!"

He brought the Sword down on the bench, cleaving it in half. The Knight fell over.

"And _that's_ if I'm in a _good_ mood!" he added. "Now beat it!"

He threw the Fiend against the wall of a building, and he fell down with a clang of armor that was likely coming undone.

The Knight finally took the hint, and fled.

EZ deactivated the Sword.

"Headless Knights…" he muttered. "What's next, legless bishops?"

EZ wasn't a nice guy. He'd be the first one to tell you that. In his business, being nice didn't cut it.

As EZ turned to walk home, he checked to see if _she_ was still watching.

No, she wasn't.

A good cop learned to know when he was being watched, and he was quite aware that an Amazoness Paladin had been watching the whole exchange with the Headless Knight. He couldn't tell if she was the same one who he had that staring contest with outside his building, but he was smart enough to know that she likely was.

Swell. An Amazon was spying on him.

He wondered if this day could get any worse…

As if to answer him, he saw a small black bird flutter down ahead of him…

Instinctively, EZ closed his fist around his thumb. That was what you did when you saw a Yata-Garasu.

He shuddered. Those birds were the only surviving Spirit Monsters – creatures that had at one point threatened to tear the Shadow Realm apart. Yata-Garasu were the weakest, but it was considered an evil omen to even see one.

As the creature flew away, a feeling of doom came over the Obnoxious Celtic Guardian…

He doubted that tucking his thumb into his fist would be enough…

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**_Coming up next: _**

Some new members of the cast are introduced, as a strange series of assaults start to happen in the Warrior's Quarters.

And just who is that Amazoness Paladin anyway? Is she friend or foe?

I'm just getting started. In the crazy, mixed up world that is the Central Shadow Realm, things are gonna get crazier…


	2. The Eye of Truth

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**CHAPTER TWO **

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The Eye Of Truth

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How much money was a good night's sleep worth?

EZ would give anything to know, and even more to know who to pay to get one.

Since he left the force, pleasant dreams never came to him. His sleep was troublesome at best, and full of nightmares at worst.

Too many of his dreams had Elfour's face in them… He almost swore that the Change of Heart cube had been deactivated a second before his blade struck her…

He knew that wasn't true, at least on the surface. But he had a hard time convincing himself it was true within.

As he got dressed the next morning, he noticed that his gauntlet was cracked. He frowned. He must have busted it against that stupid Dark Blade's helmet.

As he went to his closet to get a new one, he told himself for the hundredth time (and probably not the last), that he had to control his temper better.

He opened the closet and looked at it in disgust.

_When was the last time I cleaned out this thing?_ he thought, looking at the mess.

He sighed, and removed his cape and helmet.

No time like the present, he always said.

He started removing the items from the closet and placing them in piles. As always happens when one cleans out a closet, he started to wonder why he even had some of these things.

Three books that he got halfway through and never finished…

A jackknife that he had never found a use for…

Some tool that he didn't even know the purpose of…

His eyes opened when he found a harmonica.

_Hey, I've been looking for that,_ he thought with a smile.

After about an hour of this, three piles of things (one that he had mentally labeled "save", another labeled "give away", and a third labeled "toss") were on the floor…

…and on the farthest shelf was a small box.

_Hello?_ he thought, looking inside.

He sighed when he saw the two objects inside.

Why did the lords of the Higher Plane torture him like this?

One of the two objects was a cheap toy. The other was a _very_ expensive trap cube.

He took them to his desk and sat down. He stared at them for a minute…

Four months before Elfour died, it was All Shadow's Beginning, one of the most joyous days in the Shadow Realm. EZ had taken Elfour to Toon World, the standard way to celebrate the holiday. It was almost a perfect day – it had even snowed that day. And Toon World was a great place for two monsters to just have a great time; a huge carnival where you didn't have to take anything seriously.

While they were there, Elfour had won the toy at a game booth – a stuffed plushie in the shape of a Gyaku-Gire Panda. She had given it to him, and he had thought it rather cheap for an All Shadow's Beginning gift. Oh well… it was the thought that counted…

And then she gave him her true gift – the trap cube.

EZ was stunned. This was something that she could never have afforded on a cop's salary. He at first didn't know how she had gotten it, unless she had confiscated it from some crook. But she had claimed that she had simply known someone powerful in the Pyro and Thunder Living Quarters.

Who? Mr. Volcano? Still, the wise thing about gifts is not to press about where your benefactor got them.

If he had needed proof beforehand that she had loved him, he didn't need any more.

Four months later, he killed her.

For a long time, he stared at the stuffed toy and the trap cube…

His train of thought was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in," he said. "Don't mind the mess…"

The door opened…

He sighed when he saw who it was… He always got nervous when his landlady decided to pay a visit.

Leslie was an intimidating Warrior. She stood six-foot-five, and wore a maroon kimono, with her hair tied back in a ponytail. Most frightening was the razor-sharp cleaver hooked to her belt.

THAT tended to scare everyone. Sure, the rumor that she had decapitated a tenant who had refused to pay his rent was likely false, but there was always the chance that it wasn't… After all, she had worked as an executioner – from time to time – when she was a Beautiful Headhuntress (not that death sentences in the justice system were very common).

"What can I do you for, Leslie?" he asked.

"I just wanted to…" started the Warrior of Tradition.

She looked around.

"I know," sighed EZ. "If I knew you were coming, I would have cleaned up."

"Uh huh," she said. "Well, I'm just going around with a warning – a Warrior Dai Grepher was mugged last night just two blocks from here."

"Really?" asked EZ. "Wasn't…"

"…an Axe Raider mugged the night before?" she replied. "Yes. Some nut is using some sort of poison on them. So everyone should…"

Her eyes fell on the trap cube.

"Is that a…" she asked.

EZ nodded.

"EZ, I don't understand you!" she said with a smirk. "You could hawk that to one of the richest monsters in the Council Lower Quarters, and you'd be set for life, but instead you work as a P.I.!"

EZ placed the trap in his pocket.

"Let's just say I'm saving it for a special occasion," he said.

"I'll never figure you out, EZ," sighed Leslie. "Anyway, watch yourself…"

She turned to leave.

"…and the rent is due in two weeks!"

EZ sighed.

He threw up his arms.

"Send me a sign, somebody!" he yelled.

As if on cue, his stomach rumbled.

_Well, it's not fire from the sky, but it's something,_ thought EZ. _Maybe I'll go eat at the Red Cent…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

EZ left his apartment and passed by an office who's nameplate said **HE D-007-B: Exterminating Services**.

And as he did, he heard a huge crash.

He threw open the door, and saw a very flustered Hero of the East picking up the contents of a toppled shelf.

"Seven, what happened?" he asked.

"Uh…" muttered Seven. "That is what we like to call in the exterminating business… a mistake."

"Do you often make these… mistakes?" asked EZ.

Seven sighed.

"I'm nervous," he said, picking up his helmet. "I just got hired for my biggest job ever… Would you believe the Forbidden Palace?"

"The Forbidden Palace has Kuribohs?" asked EZ, surprised. "Who knew?"

"Mum's the word," said Seven. "They found a nest in their basement, and they're very eager to clear them out before a patron with too much influence finds out. The owner thinks that some customer who got bad service planted them there.

"But this could be my big break… If I can start doing jobs in the Council Lower Quarters, this small business could skyrocket."

"Well, congratulations," said EZ. "Hey, I was just going to go eat at the Red Cent… Want to join me?"

"Well, I have to be somewhere," said EZ, "but I'll walk out with you…"

By the time the two monsters had reached the front door of the building, EZ noticed there was something missing. He felt his pocket.

"Oh, I forgot my wallet!" he cursed. "See you later, Seven…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It took him half an hour to find his wallet – it had been buried under the junk he piled on the floor while cleaning out the closet.

It often pays to think in advance.

When EZ walked out of the building, he saw that quite a crowd had gathered across the street. Several monsters were watching something… A Kanan the Swordmistress, Chthonian Soldier, and a Rocket Warrior, among others were watching something on the sidewalk.

"All right!" said a gruff voice. "There's nothing to see here, people! Everyone go back to what you were doing…"

The onlookers slowly dispersed, and EZ saw who the gruff voice belonged to… Not that he didn't already recognize it.

The Vorse Raider on the sidewalk was Sergeant VR D-101-C, or Earnest, as he had called himself for several years. Behind him were two Mysterious Guards, kneeling over a figure.

EZ grimaced as he walked up. He knew Earnest, and he often wished he didn't.

Taking names was a risky gambit for monsters of Level Four or less, but not many wanted to argue with Vorse Raiders. They were just plain intimidating. And Earnest was more intimidating than most. His face seemed to always have a scowl on it, and while he carried a police-issue Sparks gun, he also carried the traditional axe that all Vorse Raiders had when they came into existence, in Earnest's case, strapped on his back.

Earnest was a bad cop, and a worse friend. EZ knew that well… They had worked together a lot when EZ was on the force. EZ just knew that he was on the take… And it was no secret that he was a bully too.

The Beast-Warrior was lighting a cigarette when he noticed the Obnoxious Celtic Guardian walking up.

"EZ?" he said with a frown. "I thought I told all civilians to clear out!"

"Just thought I'd keep you company, Ernie," said EZ with a smirk. "For old time's sake."

Earnest took a drag on the cigarette and flicked the ashes away.

"Eh, suit yourself," he replied, "but it ain't pretty…"

He walked up to where the two Mysterious Guards were, and they moved aside.

"Someone heard a scream and alerted a patrolman…" he said. "THIS is what they found."

Seven was lying on the ground. His face was contorted, and his eyes were glazed over.

"Is he dead?" asked EZ.

"No," replied Earnest, "but when he'll be able to move, he'll feel like he's been slugged by a Big Koala. Someone poisoned him and made off with his wallet. This was sticking out of his neck…"

He held up a small dart.

"Is that a…" started EZ.

"Yep!" answered Earnest. "A Blowpiper's dart. This is the fifth time in a week in the Level Four Warrior Quarters."

"Why would an Amazoness Blowpiper start robbing Warriors?" asked EZ.

"No idea," said Earnest with a shrug. "Maybe those floozies started deciding to take a more hands-on approach.

"And if I were you, I'd watch yourself. Darts today… maybe swords tomorrow!"

"Have any of these Amazons been seen?" asked EZ.

Earnest stared at him.

"No," he answered. "We even questioned the victims when they could talk again, and they didn't see anything."

"You worry too much, Ernie," said EZ. "This looks pretty much too obvious if you ask me…"

"Really?" asked Earnest. "Well let me give you some advice, EZ… Mind your own business! We didn't tell you to quit the force, but now that you have, you'd best leave this to those who are still on it!"

EZ took the cigarette out of Earnest's mouth. Then he put it out in his own hand.

"See you around, Ernie!" he said, walking away.

"It's Earnest!" shouted the Vorse Raider.

EZ sighed. So much for Seven's big job at the Forbidden Palace.

Maybe this was the reason that Paladin was casing the neighborhood – so one of her "sisters" could take one of the residents by surprise.

Maybe these Amazons were working as a team. A Blowpiper could hit a victim with a dart, and then a Fighter could punch his lights out…

…but that didn't explain why none of the assailants were ever seen.

As he pondered this, he saw something at his feet.

He reached down and picked it up…

An earring.

A strange earring. It was a cylindrical gemstone colored midnight black – he'd never seen something like this before…

It certainly didn't seem like something an Amazon would wear. Their jewelry tended to be made from the claws and teeth of Beasts or the talons of Winged Beasts. They tended to go into the Beast and Winged Beast Living Quarters just to get such material for "trinkets"…

EZ paused. He looked back to where Earnest had been.

_He's right,_ he thought. _I should mind my own business. What business of mine is it if a group of indecently dressed Warriors turn into crooks?_

He sighed.

_It's none of my business… I should just throw this away…_

He looked at the earring.

_So why is my heart racing? And why do I feel like grinning?_

He paused again.

_Well, I was going to the Red Cent anyway…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the Warrior and Beast-Warrior Living Quarters, the Red Cent was a landmark. If you wanted a good place to eat, this was the place to go. Everyone in the neighborhood loved it for the pleasant atmosphere, low prices, and – especially – the large portions.

A sign on the front door said:

**NO LOITERING **

NO FIGHTING

NO PIKERUS

Exactly why this restaurant was in the Warrior Quarters wasn't clear, because the two permanent members of the staff weren't Warriors. The owner of the place was a guy named Orville. Once you got past the fact that Orville was a Fiend – a Bistro Butcher to be precise – he was actually quite a decent guy. The reason he wasn't afraid to take a name was very different than Earnest's: quite simply, everybody loved him. His food was among the best you could get at such low prices. That and the fact that he was a cheerful fellow who loved to tell jokes – customers were often treated to his great sense of humor.

Some other restaurant owners with nasty streaks accused Orville of putting addictive substances in his food to keep his customers, but not many attempts by competitors to discredit him worked. Addictive or not, the food was superb.

At least one person had claimed he knew someone who knew someone who saw Dupin (the Chief of Police, formerly known as Freed the Matchless General) eat here once. EZ wouldn't have blamed him – the cafeteria at the CSRPD Headquarters wasn't the best place to eat, even when you were the boss.

Once inside, a small form in a black dress and a bunny-eared hood was usually seen tending the tables. Sally was Orville's waitress, an Ebon Magician Curran (and the reason why White Magician Pikerus weren't allowed here – that would be a disaster waiting to happen).

Sally was also Orville's weapon in case trouble broke out in the restaurant. She always had a Gravity Bind cube on her, and on the first sign of trouble, she'd activate it… And then use a Compulsory Evacuation Device cube to throw the troublemakers out.

Of course, Gravity Bind cubes were illegal for anyone but the police to use, but the cops tended to overlook this illegal use of trap cubes – and not just because Orville made the best Reuben in the Central Shadow Realm. Orville also had many underworld contacts, and as a result, was just the right person to see when you needed information. His sources were rarely wrong.

As EZ walked in, the place seemed to be having a slow day. A Battle Ox sat at one table, while a Protector of the Throne and a Guardian of the Labyrinth sat at the other (the Guardian's sword and fiery shield set to one side).

"Coming though!" shouted Sally's high voice. She rushed out from behind the counter. EZ moved aside as she ran past, carrying a sandwich to the Battle Ox's table.

Having done that she turned to EZ.

"Coffee, EZ?" she asked.

"You know how I like it," he said, pointing.

He sat down at a table.

"Strong?" she asked with a smile.

"Make it sit up and bark!" he replied. "And get me a BLT too…"

Then Orville himself came out of the kitchen. He wiped his hand (the one that he had – all Bistro Butchers had a hook in place of their right hand) on his apron.

"EZ!" he chuckled, pulling up his trousers. "It's been how long?"

"Two days, Orville," sighed EZ. "Good to see you too. C'mere, I need some help with something…"

"Oh?" asked the Fiend, sitting down at the table. "Run into a snag with the private eye work?"

"Well, something's come up…" sighed EZ. "I don't know if this means anything, but…"

He took the strange earring out of his pocket.

"…do you have any idea what this is?"

As Sally brought the coffee to his table, Orville looked intently at the piece of jewelry.

"Hmm…" muttered the Fiend. "Where did you get this?"

"Found it on the ground, believe it or not," answered EZ.

"Well, this is a Nightshae Crystal," answered Orville. "A rare gem. Female Dark monsters like to wear jewelry made from them – they say it preserves their… dark beauty."

"Really?" chuckled EZ.

"Yes, in fact Meanae the Thorn came in here the other day…" started Orville.

"Meanae the Thorn?" asked EZ surprised. "The Dark Scorpions come in here?"

"All the time!" laughed Orville. "I love them – they tip great! And I always know what they're going to order; Don always orders the club sandwich… Cliff always goes for seafood salad… Now Gorg is a little more of a spendthrift, he always wants steak…"

"Yeah, yeah," interrupted EZ, "but you were saying about Meanae…?"

"Oh yeah," answered Orville. "She comes in, she's in disguise of course, but I can tell it's her because she comes in so often, and she has a huge necklace made of these things. She tells me she lifted it from the Cosmo Queen who had made a foray into town a week ago."

Orville chuckled.

"Bet there's one mad Cosmo Queen out there!"

EZ sighed. That was the thing about Orville. He sold food – and information – to cops and criminals alike.

Orville's philosophy was like this – if the Dark Ruler Ha Des went into a deli and bought a cheese sandwich, and the guy behind the counter gave it to him, did that make the deli guy a bad monster? Everyone's got to eat, and everyone needs information. Orville had never done anything that had resulted in a serious crime being committed, as far as EZ could tell, and he had stopped a lot of them from occurring, so even cops who knew he went both ways overlooked it. Maybe Orville was a mercenary, but he was a Fiend, after all. Orville was too precious a commodity to shut down.

"Anyway," continued EZ, "this isn't the kind of thing that an Amazon would wear, would it?"

"An Amazon?" chuckled Orville. "No! Not a chance. These things are bad luck for non-Dark Monsters.

"Now why don't I get you that BLT…"

"Heavy on the mayo…" answered EZ, as Orville went back to the kitchen.

As Sally went back to the kitchen, EZ felt something snuggling around his feet…

"Purr…" cooed a voice.

He looked down.

A female creature, humanoid in form with catlike features and wearing a green bikini and boots was cuddling against his feet.

Well this was odd…

Nekogals were strange monsters. A Nekogal #1 (like this one was) was a weak Level Three monster, and also a Beast. They were smarter than most Beasts, although that wasn't saying a lot. But they tended to live in the Warrior and Beast-Warrior Living Quarters rather than the Beast and Winged Beast Living Quarters for one specific reason.

Whenever a Nekogal #1 came into existence, a Nekogal #2 almost always appeared with her. Instances of one or the other appearing alone were almost unheard of. Nekogal #2s were Beast-Warriors, and were much stronger and smarter, being Level Six. From the moment of their existence, the #2 treated the #1 like a little sister (even though they were the same age) and took custody of her.

A sure way to invoke the wrath of a Nekogal #2 was to harm her sister…

But right now, a Nekogal #1 was here, and her sister was nowhere in sight.

Sally brought the sandwich to his table.

"Oh, you've seen her," she sighed. "She came in here about an hour ago, and we can't drive her out. We've been hoping her sister shows up, but…"

EZ looked at the Nekogal's neck, where a collar had been placed. The name "Alice" was on it.

"Alice?" he asked.

The Beast purred.

"Do you know where your sister is, Alice?" he asked.

The Nekogal sadly shook her head.

EZ sighed.

"Sally, bring some Flying Fish salad here, and when I leave, I'll see if I can find her sister. It's not like I've got anything better to do anyway…"

EZ may not have been very nice to anyone who wasn't worthy of niceties, but he had compassion. A lost Nekogal #1 would be bait for the Graveyard if someone like that stupid Dark Blade found her before her sister did…

Although there was a problem which he pondered while he looked at her…

He couldn't exactly just waltz into the Level Six part of town – he wasn't welcome there. While he had a badge, it would have been easy, but not many Level Six Warriors liked the idea of lower-level ones being in the upscale neighborhood. Sure, it wasn't illegal, and he liked to think Warriors were more civilized than the monsters in, say, the Fiend Quarter…

But this was going to be difficult.

At least he knew that her sister wasn't dead – this monster would know it if she was, and she wouldn't be nearly as happy as she was now.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

EZ was still wondering what to do as he started back to his office, with the creature following him. He was about to consider finding a phone and calling a cop who was still on the CSRPD payroll…

He started to look for a phone…

…when he tensed. He looked into an alley…

With a plop, a trap cube was tossed out…

"ALICE!" he shouted. "Get outta the way!"

He rolled out of the way, but the Nekogal just starred in puzzlement.

She shrieked as the cube went off, and she was frozen in a shimmering pentagram!

"Crud," thought EZ.

He was about to fish his Remove Trap cube from his pouch…

But then he realized he had other problems…

"You missed, you moron!" shouted a gruff voice. "She's gonna kill us!"

"Whoever is in there had best come out," warned EZ, "or I'm coming in to get you!"

Two chuckles came from the alley…

Followed by two muscular creatures with horns holding clubs.

EZ was a little nervous now. Swamp Battleguards and Lava Battleguards were usually found together, and this particular pair was bad news.

"Who on earth sold you two lunkheads a Spellbinding Circle?" asked EZ. "Or did you just swipe it like you did the other stuff for C-Note Pete?"

C-Note Pete was a fence who was doing time thanks to EZ – these two jerks used to work for him.

"Save it, EZ!" grunted the Swamp Battleguard, hitting his club against his hand. "You ain't gettin' outta this one so easy!"

"Or mebbe we'll jus' take out yer girlfriend an' make ya watch," chuckled the Lava Battleguard. "That would be…"

"Would be what?" asked EZ, fingering something behind his back. "You know something, Clyde, you smell like a Giant Orc with overactive glands!"

The Lava Battleguard roared! He raised his club and ran at EZ…

…only to have EZ activate the Rush Recklessly cube, and make one swipe with his sword. The Battleguard howled, and collapsed.

EZ turned to the other one, who backed up one step.

"Silver blade slash!" he shouted, making a swipe with the sword.

The Swamp Battleguard collapsed, and then both of them shattered into shards.

EZ sighed. Fortunately, no real cops had been around, or he'd have had some explaining to do.

He looked at his Rush Recklessly cube, which had burned out… Lovely.

"Good riddance," muttered EZ, pulling the Remove Trap cube from his pocket.

He activated it, and the Spellbinding Circle vanished. Alice fell into his arms.

He sighed.

"How long were you watching?" he said to someone who he knew was behind the building.

A very embarrassed Nekogal #2 walked up to them. Alice purred happily and hugged her.

"For about a minute," she replied in a fearful voice. "I suppose I could have helped, but you were doing so well…"

Her voice quivered as she hugged her sister in relief…

"…thank you."

EZ looked at her. Yeah, right. More than likely, she had gotten scared and frozen for a second. She was likely more a farmer than a fighter…

"What happened?" asked EZ.

"I'm a supervisor at one of the farm towers," answered the Nekogal. "Alice was at work with me, and she… got bored. She tried to find her way home I guess…"

EZ smiled.

_Yup, a farmer,_ he thought.

"Impressive," he said. "She must be pretty resourceful to have taken the train from the Work Quarters here on her own…"

"She always was…" muttered the Nekogal, cradling her sister. "I left to find her and I was able to track her here… Oh, she could have gotten killed…"

Tears welled in her eyes…

"You'd best keep her on a leash next time," chuckled EZ.

The Nekogal #2 smirked.

"I'll remember this," she said. "My name is Ashley. Look me up if you have a problem a Level Six Beast-Warrior can handle."

_Yeah, right,_ thought EZ, turning away. _Like that will ever be the case…_

He sighed. He put his hands in his pockets.

_Well, I saved a life, reunited two sisters, got rid of two thugs, and wasted two spell cubes in the process. What more could happen today?_

EZ was good at noticing things… And he was almost certain that those Battleguards didn't attack him of their own volition.

But he _didn't_ notice an alley across the street where two glowing red eyes looked at him… Their owner was somewhat disappointed…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As EZ got to the floor of his building where his office was, he started to get that feeling again.

Someone was following him again.

He frowned. This time, he was going to take the follower by surprise.

He slowly turned the hall corner and slipped into an unused office. He knew that the door was never locked. The lock was broken, and Leslie refused to fix it.

"Why fix a lock when there's nothing in there that anyone would steal?" she'd ask.

Leslie was a cheapskate.

He peered out the glass window, and saw a shadowy form stop and look around.

"Where in the world did he…" said a female voice.

The next moment, the door flew open, and EZ grabbed her…

…and the moment after that, his sword was at her neck.

The Amazoness Paladin gasped.

"All right…" snarled EZ, "I want some answers…"

"This always the way you greet a woman?" she asked, calmer than he expected.

"I don't like being spied on…" he said, pressing the blade against her throat.

"Force of habit," she replied. "We like to scope out employees before attempting to hire them."

"Hire them?" asked EZ, in shock.

The Amazon gave him a look.

"Do you mind?" she asked, pointing to the sword.

He slowly lowered it.

"Aren't you a private investigator?" she asked. "Doesn't that make your services open to the public?"

EZ looked at her for a second.

All his life he was taught not to trust Amazons… They were unfriendly, unkind, and unsociable…

But he could always use another client…

He motioned for her to follow.

"I thought you girls didn't like guys like me," he mused. "I thought you didn't like guys, period…"

"We _don't_," said the Amazon, "and we likely won't after this is settled. But desperate times call for desperate measures…"

EZ opened the door to his office.

"You realize the cops are suspicious of you girls lately," he said, "some Blowpiper…"

"That's a lie, Sergeant," she interrupted. "No Blowpiper or any other Amazon has been poisoning civilians."

EZ sat at his desk.

She sighed and sat on the couch.

"You can call me Sonja, by the way…"

"Sonja?" asked EZ. "You have a name? Aren't you…"

"Most of us do," answered the Amazon. "And no, we aren't afraid to. There's nobody who can tell an Amazon what to do!"

EZ smirked.

A tough woman… He liked the type. Elfour was that type.

"So what's the case?" he asked.

"I saw you help that Nekogal's sister," sighed Sonja. "How about helping someone else's sister?"

"Pardon?" asked EZ.

"You said it yourself, Sergeant," sighed Sonja. "Someone is poisoning people to rob them, and we're getting blamed. And your friend Earnest is in charge of the case. Three times so far, he's been down to our part of town to question everyone, and he isn't nice about it… He's been shaking up everyone, especially the Blowpipers…"

"That sounds a lot like Ernie," agreed EZ with a sigh.

"He hasn't arrested anyone yet," she continued, "but everyone's afraid they'll wind up in jail soon… especially _my_ sister…"

EZ raised an eyebrow.

"…and she's scared to get out of bed…" she added.

She paused.

"Cora and I… We appeared in the Central Shadow Realm together twenty years ago, at the exact same instant, five feet apart. I remember seeing her for the first time… She was clutching that blowgun of hers in sheer terror – Blowpipers have the worst weapons – and I had to cradle her to calm her down. We got to Beginner's Hall all right, but she cried for the first few nights, and I couldn't let her out of my sight – I was afraid she'd be hurt. To this day, she's always been a coward, and she wouldn't last long without her 'sister' helping her.

"Yesterday, that accursed Vorse Raider came to our apartment, made the worst accusations, and even slapped her. She was a quivering wreck by the time he left, and she didn't stop crying for three hours."

_Bastard,_ thought EZ.

"Look Sergeant, the reason I came to you is because you're his friend, and maybe you can talk some sense into…"

"Let's get one thing straight," interrupted EZ. "Me and Ernie are reluctant friends at best, and we always made uneasy partners…"

He turned his chair so that his back was to Sonja.

"If you want him off your case, I can look into these muggings and find out who's behind it… That is, if you're _absolutely_ certain it isn't really a Blowpiper."

"Amazons never lie," said Sonja, crossing her arms. "We bluff and deceive those not worthy of our respect, but never outright lie. It's against the Code."

"Right," sighed EZ. "That… thing you have. Well, the fee is two-hundred a day, plus expenses…"

He turned back to her.

"And maybe you can help me out right now. This is a long shot, but have you ever seen anyone who wears stuff like this?"

He dangled the Nightshae earring in front of her.

"Humph," she grunted. "All I know is that no Amazon would be caught dead wearing that…"

"Well," sighed EZ, "unless it belongs to a local Getsu Fuhma or a Penumbral Soldier Lady came into this part of town, there's a Warrior out there who doesn't believe in jinxes…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Later that night, EZ would reach the obvious conclusion: that the earring's owner likely a Warrior at all.

And the owner was too busy right now to confront him for a lost earring. After all, she had four other pairs.

A Labyrinth Tank burrowed up from the ground into a place that almost no-one ever asked them to go – the edge of the Plant and Insect Living Quarters. This was a dangerous place, and you rarely had reason to come here unless… well, unless you were a Plant or Insect.

Fortunately, the drivers of the Tanks didn't ask questions, and if this one did, she'd have told him to shut up.

The passenger walked out, and activated a Sword of Deep-Seated. She checked the more powerful spells in her handbag on the off chance that wouldn't be enough.

She looked around at the immense forest around her.

Insect Soldiers of the Sky and Killer Needles flew overhead, and odd chirping came from the bushes. She was safe from the minor creatures – they wouldn't want to mess with the likes of her.

She looked towards the center of the forest. She knew that there was a huge nest several miles inward where the Insect Queen slept. She had seen her herself once. But she wouldn't be messing with her.

Why was this intruder here? She had a problem that needed cleaning up…

…but to clean up, she'd need some extra-strength detergent.

She wandered into the forest. She turned and saw a Flying Kamakiri to her right.

They eyed each other for a minute. She shook her head, and the huge mantis flew away.

She continued. She saw a patch of Rafflesia Seduction...

She knew that those plants were in demand by the Ha Des Syndicate. Their sap could be made into a cologne that Fiends and Zombies fancied, called simply "Evil #7."

Venomous, yes, but not the right _type_ of venom for her purposes.

This would take something special… Something particularly deadly…

After a while of wandering, she came to a cliffside. A Cocoon of Evolution was stuck to a large tree overhead (a very new one – it wouldn't hatch for years, if it would at all).

"I wouldn't go down there if I were you…" said a slow voice.

She turned, and looked at the Trent who had spoken to her.

Trents were helpful creatures – and they were very indifferent, not caring who they helped.

"Why?" she asked. "Dangerous Insects?"

"Uh huh," answered the Trent, nodding.

"Then I'm going down there," she replied.

"Don't say I didn't warn you…" muttered the Trent.

"Oh no…" she answered. "I would never do that."

She spread her arms, and simply fluttered down into the valley below.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next: **_

The story heats up. EZ starts on a major case, which leads him to a few not-too-friendly confrontations with his old "friend". And who is the mysterious owner of that earring? This crazy, mixed-up world starts to get crazier, in the next chapter, "Night Assailant"! Coming soon…


	3. Night Assailant

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**CHAPTER THREE **

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Night Assailant

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Around the time EZ was leaving a tip for Sally at the Red Cent, things were happening in the very center of the Central Shadow Realm.

In the Shadow Council Chambers, the governing body of the city was in session.

Exodia the Forbidden One rubbed his temples, as he often did. He was the oldest and most powerful monster in existence, and the most influential… But for some reason, it seemed that having almost godlike power could do nothing to stem the awful migraines that such a stressful job had given him in recent years.

Fortunately, the Shadow Council was having a relatively good day. Of course, any day where Ophelia had decided to clam up was considered "good" to most of them. Of course, she had reasons for being quiet – she was suffering from a full-blown cold, and it was difficult to even talk. Right now, her podium was surrounded by used tissues, and the sounds of sniffling and slight coughing came continually from the Queen's Double.

Right now, the CSRPD Spokesman had the floor.

"Anyway," started Escalus, "the news from headquarters is mostly…"

He was interrupted by a very loud sneeze.

"Sorry," groaned Ophelia, blowing her nose.

"Ophelia…" muttered the Warrior and Beast Warrior Representative, "as much as I admire someone with a work ethic so strong that she comes in even when she's sick, you're going to give it to all of us! Why don't you just go back to bed?"

Ophelia gave a dirty look towards the Buster Blader…

"You know…" she said, "maybe I will…"

She got off her chair and headed for the door.

There was a long silence before the door slammed.

"To think," sighed Forseti, "all I had to do was ask…"

"That must be the first time she's ever thrown herself out!" laughed the Pyro and Thunder Representative.

The room broke out in low chuckles. The only three creatures that didn't laugh were the Spellcaster Representative (who never liked it when she was teased), the Machine, Plant, and Rock representative (who never had much of a sense of humor), and Exodia himself (it would take near-infinite humor to get him to laugh).

"People," growled the Forbidden One. "I believe Escalus was about to give his report…"

"Uhm, yes," continued the Frontier Wiseman, going over his notes. "Where was I? Ah yes, as I was saying, the situation is pretty good in most areas. Recruitment is up ten percent, job-related casualties are down twelve percent, job-related fatalities are down fifteen percent…

"And the best news is, the crime rate is down across the board. Last month showed a decrease in all Quarters, an average of a nine percent drop in minor crimes and an eight percent drop in major ones."

"And just how is that good news?" muttered Forseti. "Aren't the police concerned with job security?"

This time everyone gave him a dirty look. It was a joke, but it was a bad one.

The Spellcaster Representative gave him a cold glare. Raelvion didn't get along with Forseti at the best of times, but he had been in a foul mood for weeks now.

Exodia glared at him too.

"I am not amused, Forseti…" he said. "Not that I'm keeping track, but in the last eight sessions you've managed to insult almost everyone here…"

"Cheerfully withdrawn…" sighed Forseti.

The light on the Zombie Representative's podium lit up.

"I, for one, am glad to hear that the crime rate is down," said Pumpking, the King of Ghosts.

Ectoplasm from the huge Zombie's tendrils dribbled on the floor.

"In a related topic," it continued. "I'd like to make a request for added police presence in the Zombie Living Quarters, particularly the higher level neighborhoods."

Everyone looked at it.

The Fiend Representative's podium light went on.

"That is a very interesting request, Pumpking," stated Kalvelos. "But I have to wonder, why?"

"Well, despite the decrease, crime is still high," answered the King of Ghosts, "and…"

"If I may be blunt, Pumpking," continued the Summoned Skull, "this is not the first time in the past two months that you've made weird requests…"

"I'm suspicious too…" muttered Mr. Volcano. "Your request for funds for demolition of condemned buildings in the Level Five section seemed strange. I mean, don't Zombies _like_ things that look rotted?"

More chuckling.

"Are you making an accusation of wrongdoing on my part?" asked Pumpking. "I don't recall making a single request that any of you would not make for one of your own Living Quarters."

Everyone paused.

Of all the members of the Shadow Council, Pumpking was the hardest one to trust. Sure, it was interested in the well being of the monsters it was in charge of and wanted the best for them…

But it was a poorly kept secret that it was influenced by monsters with sinister motives. Whenever one of the Vampire Lords wanted something done, he made a "request" to the King of Ghosts, and Pumpking usually did its best to see that it got done.

It was always hard to tell whether one of Pumpking's proposals was something it wanted done, or something a Vampire Lord wanted done.

And Pumpking had other problems that it had little control over. The Low Level Zombie Living Quarters was ruled by the Ha Des Business Syndicate, a canker sore on the Central Shadow Realm. Pumpking hated the Dark Ruler, and tried to avoid the subject when it came up, but there was little it could do about him.

The podium of the Machine, Plant, and Rock Representative lit up.

"If I may make a statement," started the Machine King in its usual monotone, "the Zombie Representative's proposal would not be without benefit. The crime rate in the Zombie Living Quarters has always been high, and Zombies have been known to be a nuisance in other Quarters. An increased police presence may well be a logical solution."

"Actually," muttered Escalus, looking at his notes, "the Zombie Quarters did experience a drop in the crime rate, but only by five percent, the lowest of all Quarters…"

The Fairy Representative's light came on.

"An increased police presence might help stem the activities of the Dark Ruler," suggested Messiena. "Anything that hinders Ha Des is beneficial…"

Kalvelos looked at her and sighed. He hated having to agree with her, but he didn't like Ha Des much either.

The light on the Fish, Aqua, and Sea Serpent Representative's podium lit up.

"It seems suspicious if you ask me," stated The Legendary Fisherman. "Maybe Ha Des _wants_ more cops in his part of town for some reason."

"Now wait just a minute…" protested Pumpking.

"He makes a good point," replied Mr. Volcano. "I never trusted Zombies anyway…"

Forseti tapped his podium.

"People," he announced, "all kidding aside, I've always believed that you can never have too much of a police presence or a military. The Police Spokesman said that recruitment is up, and that the crime rate is down. If we want it to stay down and avoid problems, we have to have a strong justice system. I've always pushed for a strong one in the Warrior Quarters, and they have the lowest crime rate in the city! Deny that, Escalus!"

"Well…" muttered Escalus, looking at his papers. "True, the crime rate there did go down by fifteen percent, which is tied with the Fairy Living Quarters for the highest decrease…"

"I rest my case…" said the Buster Blader, smugly.

There was a long pause.

"Very well…" muttered the Forbidden One. "Why not we put it to a vote? For added police presence in the Zombie Living Quarters…"

The thirteen other monsters in the room tapped buttons on their podiums…

Lights flashed. It was seven aye votes and six nays.

But the proposal hadn't passed yet. Such a close vote couldn't override the Forbidden One himself if he thought it was a bad idea. His vote counted for five.

He didn't entirely trust the King of Ghosts himself, and he was a little suspicious of the odd proposals it had been making lately…

…but he didn't see how an increased police presence in a Quarter who had a poor presence to begin with could hurt…

He rubbed his temples again.

"Proposal accepted," he stated. "Now then, onto the next subject…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

EZ got up at six AM the next morning. When he had a case, it was always good to start early.

As he got dressed, he went over the three rules he lived by:

1. Try not to break any laws, but don't be afraid to bend a few to get what you need to do done.

2. Always look in areas where no-one else would look.

3. Doing it by the book rarely works, because the bad guys _never_ do it by the book.

These three rules had worked well as a cop, and worked pretty well as a P.I. too.

He didn't have much to go on, but he did know where to find a few of the victims. Seven was still recovering, but an Axe Raider and a Warrior Dai Grepher were among the victims he knew about, and a quick trip to the Work Quarters might have given him some insight on the nature of the attacks.

He left to catch the train there, hoping to shed some light on these strange muggings.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

One building in the Work Quarters was so large, it had its own train stop. It was called the Foundry.

A large factory where smokestacks poured soot into the sky, this was where most things were made that could be made out of iron. Pots, pans, knives, forks, spoons, tools… pretty much everything except weapons.

Inside was a maze of catwalks and machinery, where the air was stifling hot. Huge vats poured molten metal into moulds for cooling, and in other sections, products were tempered, sharpened (if needed) and polished by various infernal machinery. This was not the neighborhood smithy.

To most folks, this oven of metal and steam would be hell, but to the monsters who worked here, it was heaven. The low-level work force was made up of Iron Blacksmith Kotetsus, Beast-Warriors who just loved to work with metal. The supervisors were mostly Level Four Warriors with a lot of endurance, and a few Machines were scattered around. Here and there a Helping Robo For Combat and a Woodborg Inpachi did odd jobs.

EZ caught up with the Axe Raider called AR D-012-B as he was signing a delivery request form.

"It isn't something I'm proud of," muttered the Axe Raider. "Normally I can smell an attack coming from a mile away. And poison? Only a coward uses poison. If I catch whoever did it…"

"Did you see whoever it was?" asked EZ.

"No," replied the Axe Raider. "But there was something weird about the whole thing… Right before the dart hit, there was a chill in the air that hadn't been their before.

"I told that dumb Vorse Raider, and he told me it was likely the wind. Hey, I know the wind, and that was no wind. It was like something seriously unnatural was around…"

EZ paused.

"Thank you," he replied.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Spell cube and trap cube factories populated the heart of the work quarters, and each of them specialized in a different area.

One of the busiest of the spell factories was The Arsenal. Combat was unavoidable in the Central Shadow Realm, and this factory made all sorts of spell cubes related to that field, from the more-or-less common Legendary Sword, to the very expensive, made-by-request only Axe of Despair.

Since Warriors were the best fighters in the city, most of the staff was made up of them. A Flame Swordsman supervised the work, and Warriors of levels one through four could be found working there, the lower ones on the assembly lines, and the higher ones with more important chores.

"That dumb Vorse Raider couldn't see the truth if it bit him on the behind," said the Warrior Dai Grepher, as he poured water into a cup from a bubbler. "I told him myself that I didn't think it was likely a Blowpiper, and he told me to keep quiet…"

"What makes you think it wasn't?" asked EZ, curious.

"Before I blacked out, I saw her feet," added the Grepher. "I have never seen an Amazon who wears black leather high heels before."

"You saw her?" asked EZ.

"Just her feet," added the Warrior. "And she was wearing black pumps."

"I see…" muttered EZ. "Well, thank you…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As EZ rode the train home, a lot of things were on his mind.

A cold chill seemed to verify the suspicion that some Dark monster was behind this…

And Amazons never wore high heels. They were usually barefoot.

Even worse, Earnest had lied to him. He had said that none of the victims had seen anything…

Maybe it was time to have a talk with Earnest. He'd check out his apartment when he knew his shift got out.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At five-thirty, EZ went into a modest apartment building in the Level Four Warrior Quarters. He knew where Earnest lived, seeing as he had been here often.

In better times, he, Earnest, and other cops had often played cards together. But since that time, Earnest had just turned into a guy you couldn't trust.

He knocked on a door.

"If you're looking for Earnest," said a woman's voice, "I don't think he's home…"

EZ looked and saw one of Earnest neighbors he knew. A Marie the Fallen One had come out with a garbage bag.

EZ made a slight smirk. These Fiends never lived in the Fiend Quarters, seeing as they didn't like other Fiends much. Maries usually lived in the Warrior and Spellcaster Quarters.

"So Marie," he asked, "you know when he'll be back?"

It was customary to call these monsters "Marie" no matter what their number was.

Marie sighed.

"Dunno," she answered. "He's been acting funny lately…"

"Funny?" asked EZ.

"Yeah," sighed Marie. "Lately I've seen him talking to some female monster… She always comes at night, dressed in a cloak and a hood, and he gets nervous around her. Something strange is going on…"

"I see…" muttered EZ.

He paused. This was getting stranger and stranger…

Waiting for Earnest would likely do no good…

…and unfortunately, while he had learned a lot, he had nothing solid.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

One hour later, EZ was at the Red Cent, slowly picking at one of Orville's famous Reubens.

Sally watched him as she sucked the pacifier that she always had. All Currans had them when they were "born", and they helped them think.

She removed it and went up to EZ.

"Something wrong?" she asked. "It's just going to get cold…"

EZ leaned on his shoulder.

"A 'friend' of mine may be in over his head," he replied, "and I think that…"

The door opened, and Earnest came in.

"Speaking of which…" muttered EZ.

"Well, EZ," chuckled the Vorse Raider. "Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all, Earnest," answered EZ. "In fact, I wanted to speak to you…"

"Can I get you anything?" asked Sally.

Earnest looked at her.

"Fine, I'll have the cheesesteak," he answered. "But no pickles! I'm allergic to pickles, you got that, Flopsy?"

Sally grunted and went to the kitchen. EZ looked at him in disgust. Currans _hated_ to be called "Flopsy".

"Why don't you insult someone your own size, Ernie?" muttered EZ.

"That certainly would not be _you_, EZ," chuckled Earnest. "And I heard rumors that you're horning in on my case.

"What do you care about some Blowpiper committing muggings?"

"It isn't a Blowpiper, Earnest," answered EZ. "There's a lot of things that point to a frame up, not naming any names…"

Earnest chuckled.

"So, you think someone is trying to give the Amazons a bad name?" he asked. "Why would someone do that? Let me ask you something EZ, do you know how rumors get started? They start with something small, and turn into things so big, that people get scared.

"For instance, you know the rumor that the Council's Dragon Stand-In is trying to raise money to buy a Polymerization cube so that the three Blue-Eyes can fuse into a new Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon?"

EZ looked at him.

"Yeah, but it's a false rumor," answered EZ. "Even if such a thing were possible, which I doubt, the Lord of Dragons could afford one out of petty cash, but he knows it would start another war."

"Then there's the story about Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning," replied Earnest, "a Warrior who can send a monster to the Void with only a thought. The rumor is that Exodia has him locked up in some ultra-secure cell, but there's a doomsday cult trying to set him free so that he'll destroy the Shadow Realm.

"Frightening, but false. The Envoy never existed in the first place. He's only a fairy tale."

"I don't see the comparison, Ernie," snapped EZ. "Someone is trying to give the Amazons a bad name, and I'm going to prove it."

"I'm warning you, EZ," snapped Earnest back, "you're crossing the line. Make me angry, and I might just haul you in!"

"On what charge?" asked EZ, now annoyed.

"How about violation #345-765-AD?" asked Earnest.

EZ paused.

"Wait a minute, that's…" he said, slowly.

"That's right!" answered Earnest. "Impersonating a police officer! You leave this to us, EZ, or you'll regret it…"

EZ didn't answer.

He tossed some money on the table and walked out.

Sally brought the cheesesteak to the table.

"I'm taking that to go!" ordered Earnest.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Evening descended on the Central Shadow Realm.

EZ sat in his office, pondering.

That "impersonating a police officer" crack had hurt him badly, but it hadn't convinced him to abandon the case…

It was clear that his old "friend" was up to something.

Could Earnest be committing the muggings himself?

EZ shook his head. Earnest was a jerk, but he wasn't _that_ bad a cop. But clearly, someone was telling him to purposely look in the wrong direction… A female monster in a cloak?

As he was thinking this, he heard a tap on his door…

His eyes narrowed…

He slowly went to the door and listened.

_This was not a casual visitor…_

That, he was pretty sure of.

He slowly opened the door.

As he walked out, no one seemed to be there. He turned to the left…

Fortunately, for him, the light at the bend in the hallway behind him was rather good at casting shadows. If he hadn't seen it, he'd have been dead two seconds later…

The Obnoxious Celtic Guardian dove for cover as the blast from a Sparks gun fired.

EZ was startled, but not for long. He leapt up and pulled his own Sparks gun out of the holster, and ran for the bend in the hallway.

The door to the stairs was thrown open…

EZ smelled the air… He frowned…

He'd know the smell of that cheap aftershave any day…

He rushed down the stairs, and burst out onto the street. He ran a block from the building, towards the train station. If someone was going to try to kill you and failed, he was likely going to try to escape via the fastest possible method.

The train station stairs, were right ahead…

Standing in the glow of the streetlight and catching his breath with his back turned to him was a very nervous Vorse Raider, still holding his Sparks gun.

Earnest spun around and looked at EZ, who was angrily aiming his own weapon.

"EZ!" chuckled Earnest, shakily holding the weapon. "I was, uhm… I was just… looking for the guy who shot at you!"

"That fish is five days old, Ernie, and I'm not buying it!" said EZ with a scowl. "You're more crooked than an Armed Dragon's hide. Now drop it!"

"You got me all wrong, EZ…" sputtered Earnest. "Things just got out of control… I never meant to hurt you… I just…"

"I said drop it!" ordered EZ.

"You wouldn't shoot an… unarmed monster?" asked Earnest, dropping the gun.

EZ was suspicious… He started to walk towards the Beast-Warrior…

And then Earnest turned, and ran down into the train station.

EZ paused. The shot that was fired would likely attract some cops with a better work ethic soon, but he had to catch him before he got on the train… If that happened, he could wind up almost anywhere in the city.

As EZ descended the steps, he realized something… Earnest was NOT unarmed. He still had with him the traditional axe that all Vorse Raiders had.

Almost all Warriors and quite a few Beast-Warriors (and some Monsters of other types) were created with some weapon that could slash, stab, club, and in rare cases, shoot. This item let the monster perform his or her species attack.

Among police officers, there were three main schools of thought.

The first school left their species weapons at home, relying entirely on police-issue weapons (such as the Sparks gun and others), and spell and trap cubes as the need arose.

The second school was the most common. They kept their species weapons handy, while always having police issue weaponry as the first line of defense. EZ had been of that school, and Earnest was the same.

The third school was rare, and was made up mostly of high-ranking police. They shunned technology altogether, relying only on their own abilities and spell and trap cubes. More often than not, these police were powerful monsters who didn't need guns.

EZ knew that even without a gun, Earnest was not a pushover. Most Beast-Warriors weren't cops – they were farmers, like that Nekogal, or other manual laborers. However, they could be savage when they got angry.

EZ got down to the platform, where the train track was in front of him.

He heard the sound of a train coming. He couldn't see Earnest, but he could smell that bad aftershave again.

He reached into his side pouch, and his hand closed around one of his stronger spell cubes…

The next second, Earnest was on him.

He apparently pounced from above, delivering a savage kick to EZ's chest. The Guardian fell over.

Earnest aimed for EZ's head with his axe…

Quickly, EZ activated the spell cube, and a Sword of Deep-Seated appeared in his hand. He parried the blow.

Now just as strong as his opponent, he slowly forced the Beast-Warrior off of him…

And then he made a fierce shove, pushing Earnest back.

The train rushed into the station, and the lights blinked. The doors opened, and a Little Winguard walked out.

He looked curiously at the exchange.

"RUN!" screamed EZ. "Get the police!"

The Little Winguard fled up the stars as the train sped away.

"You know EZ," said Earnest with a scowl, "I always thought it would come to this between us…"

He swung at EZ.

"…but I ain't goin' to jail, EZ!" he shouted. "You're gonna have to kill me before they lock me up!"

"I don't blame you," growled EZ. "I know what they do to dirty cops in prison…"

He made a swipe with his sword across the Vorse Raider's thigh, and Earnest howled.

"Don't like it, do you?" asked EZ. "You bullies are all alike… you really hate to be hurt."

Earnest threw a punch, and his fist hit EZ in the eye.

But EZ could take pain better than this guy…

"ENOUGH!" shouted EZ.

With a powerful swing of his sword, the axe flew from the Vorse Raider's hands.

"You never were a match for me, Earnest…" he growled.

EZ angrily lifted Earnest by the collar, his strength enhanced by the weapon, and then held him over the train tracks…

"There should be another one by momentarily…" said EZ. "You'd best start spilling your guts before I let it spill them all over the tracks…"

Earnest gulped in fear…

"All right, all right!" he sputtered. "I'll sing… I've been being blackmailed… by a… a…"

"Spit it out!" shouted EZ.

"A Vampire Lady!" cried Earnest. "She told me to hassle the Amazons when the muggings started, and just after you left the Red Cent, she told me to kill you…"

"WHY?" demanded EZ.

"I don't know!" protested Earnest. "She said as long as I didn't ask too many questions, and did what I was told I wouldn't get hurt and Gonzap wouldn't know about the things I did… but now…"

"Things you did?" asked EZ. "What have you been doing?"

Earnest sighed.

"Bribes, EZ," he moaned. "From people who wanted me to look the other way. Two years ago, the Dark Ruler wanted to…"

"You were on the take from Ha Des?" shouted EZ. "Earnest, you worthless piece of…"

He pressed the sword to Earnest's neck.

"Mercy, please!" cried Earnest.

"You're just like any bully, Earnest," growled EZ. "You're a big coward when things turn against you. Does this Vampire Lady have a name?"

Before Earnest could even answer, he screamed in pain…

It wasn't because of anything EZ had done.

To EZ's shock, a dart was sticking out of Earnest's neck.

The Vorse Raider went deadweight in his hand. EZ lowered him to the ground.

_Aw, crud…_ he thought.

He looked around to try to find the one who had fired the dart, but failed.

"Hang on, Earnest," he muttered. "The good cops will be here shortly…"

Then he checked for a pulse…

There was none…

Earnest was dead.

And strangely, five minutes later, as a police squad consisting of a Command Knight and three Science Soldiers arrived, the body of his old friend had not shattered…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

EZ couldn't sleep that night. He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.

The confrontation had ended with Earnest's untimely death, but the way it had happened, two possibilities were likely.

One, the unseen attacker had killed Earnest to silence him.

Two, the unseen attacker had been aiming for EZ, but hit Earnest by accident.

Blackmailed by a Vampire Lady? It didn't exactly made sense. Earnest had admitted that he had taken bribes from the Dark Ruler, but Vampire Ladies didn't work for him…

They worked for… other creatures.

That was the scariest part. If a Vampire Lady was involved, there was the possibility that a Vampire Lord wasn't far behind. There were usually about ten of those guys in the Central Shadow Realm at once, but they weren't a united group – they were fierce rivals. They weren't truly criminals – more like corporate sharks, working the systems of economics, business, and finances to achieve strange goals. Of course, they were very wealthy, and most folks assumed that their business manipulation meant that they were up to no good.

And all of the Lords had one or more "brides". Most of their economic activity went towards pleasing their brides…

EZ chuckled. A common joke among the brass was that the Lords secretly controlled the Shadow Realm, and that the Ladies controlled the Lords. That wasn't likely true, of course, but it was funny.

It was, of course, possible that this Lady's crimes had nothing to do with whatever Lord she was with… They had lives apart from their spouses…

But why did she want to frame the Amazons?

The weirdest part of the whole deal was that Earnest's body had survived. The cops said they would take it to the morgue to figure that part out…

Well, maybe it was time to speak to his old boss again…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In a part of the Level Four Warrior Quarters closer than EZ thought, a dark figure picked up a phone.

She was a dark beauty, sinister-looking, with pale green skin, dressed in a violet dress with a flimsy train. Her hair was set in an exotic style.

She dialed a number.

"Yeah, it's me," she said. "A few complications getting rid of the Vorse Raider. I had hoped the Warrior would do it, but I had to take him out myself before he blabbed too much…

"Yeah, the jerk mentioned the words 'Vampire Lady', and…"

She paused.

"I see… Yes, I understand…"

She laughed.

"Yeah, I can do that," she chuckled. "I can do it tomorrow night…

"Love ya… bye…"

The Vampire Lady hung up and chuckled to herself. She breathed in the night air… Ah, the night was so invigorating…

She loved what she was doing, and once she was done, she'd be able to laugh in the faces of every other Vampire Lady in the city…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Then next morning, EZ grabbed a cup of coffee, a donut, and a newspaper from a corner vendor and headed for the train station. His next stop was a pace where he had worked for forty-seven of the fifty-one years of his life, the Central Shadow Realm Police Force HQ.

It was a large building housed in the Council Upper Quarters, and like most buildings, it was bigger in the inside than it looked on the outside. Inside this place could best be described as organized chaos; monsters of all types rushed down the halls and through the rooms with endless reams of paperwork, suspects were herded here and there, and just avoiding being trampled was a challenge.

Not for EZ, however. Having worked in this building for most of his life, he knew all the tricks he needed to know to dodge, duck, and get out of the way fast.

He walked through the halls, and met with no objections – he knew most of the monsters here. His goal was the Mystic Swordsman LV 6 who called himself Gonzap…

A monster who was one of the greatest success stories of the police force.

Inspector Gonzap wasn't created as a Level Six monster. All leveled monsters start out at the lowest evolutionary form. For the Warrior who would one day take the name Gonzap, he was created as a Mystic Swordsman LV 2, a Level Two monster, naturally…

And that meant, basically, he was almost nothing.

The Shadow Realm is cruel to low-level monsters. Mostly, little awaits them but a life that's hard, unkind, and full of poverty. And their lifespans are usually short too…

But to Warriors and Machines, the CSRPD is a beacon of hope if you're low-level. Such monsters can usually find okay employment there. After all, you need to be Level Three or lower to safely operate such Traps as Gravity Bind, or spells like Level Limit Area B, common law enforcement tools. Sure, your hopes of promotion are slim if you're low-level, and your chances of dying young don't decrease much, but at least as a cop, you have job security.

But for leveled monsters, more hope exists. Because if they survive long enough, there's a possibility, with a good deal of luck, that they can evolve to their higher state.

After fifty years on the force, having achieved the rank of patrolman (pretty much the limit you could get if you were Level Two) the Mystic Swordsman evolved into a Mystic Swordsman LV 4. With his evolved form, he became stronger and smarter, and was quickly given a promotion to officer. He did more than his fair share of work, eventually making senior officer, and then sergeant (EZ's rank at the time he left.)

It is rare for a Mystic Swordsman's body to evolve to the Level Six form, but eventually, this one did. Now a very powerful monster, he took the name Gonzap, and was promoted to detective, something that usually only monsters of Level Five or more achieve. After ten years at that rank, Dupin personally promoted him to Inspector, which is rare for _anyone_.

Gonzap was more sympathetic towards low-level monsters than most folks of his station, since he was once one himself. He certainly remembered his days as a poor and abused Level Two Warrior. No officer working under him would be singled out or neglected simply because he or she was low level.

And right now, he was the way he always was…

...busy.

A Gearfried the Iron Knight came up to him as he rushed down the halls.

"Beetwo, did you find those papers that Thestalos requested?" he asked.

"We're looking for them in the evidence locker," answered the Warrior.

"Well, hurry," he added, "you know how short a temper he has."

A Mataza the Zapper came up.

"Arnine, the weapon inspection still set for Friday?" he asked.

"Actually," said the Warrior, "Dupin changed it to Monday."

Gonzap moaned.

"Why am I always the last to find out these things?" he sighed.

He pushed his way through to where a Chthonian Soldier was writing things down and collecting money from the other officers.

"You," he asked. "You going out for sandwiches?"

The Dark Warrior nodded.

Gonzap handed him a wad of bills.

"Add a ham and Swiss on rye with horseradish to that list."

Sending someone out to get sandwiches was always preferable than eating in the cafeteria, especially on days like today. The menu said meatloaf, and that meant something which likely had little meat and too much loaf.

And then someone tapped him on the shoulder.

Gonzap looked around and saw EZ.

He sighed.

"EZ," he said. "Long time no see, old friend."

"I know," sighed EZ. "Look, I wanted to take a look at Earnest…"

"Might I ask why?" asked Gonzap, picking up a clipboard.

"He was… an old friend, Gonzap," muttered EZ. "I just want a bit of closure."

"You're showing an awful lot of remorse for a guy who tried to kill you, EZ," muttered Gonzap.

He looked at the Guardian.

"Well," he muttered, "it might not be entirely by the book, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt…"

He motioned, and an M-Warrior #1 came over.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Whenever a monster died, its body usually shattered into thousands of tiny pieces that disintegrated into nothing…

But if steps were quickly taken, such as in the case of a murder, special preservative fluids could save the body for study. That was why a morgue even existed in this building.

EZ didn't like it much here, but then, morgues aren't very pleasant places.

When he went in, he noticed a huge syringe leaning against the corner. Its owner was the coroner on duty.

Injection Fairy Lilys were the coroners of the CSRPD. EZ didn't like dealing with them – doing so meant having to put up with sarcasm and a lot of bad air from these cynical chain smokers. The place already reeked from cigarettes when he entered.

EZ entered as the Spellcaster was checking the latest cadaver that had been brought in.

She looked at him.

"You're here to see the Vorse Raider, right?" she asked. "Let me tell you, this was the most shocking cause of death I recorded since an incident with an Old Vindictive Magician four years ago.

She lit the cigarette in her mouth and went over to a table where a sheet covered Earnest's body.

"It was poison, right?" asked EZ.

"Yeah," answered the Lily. "And since his body was preserved, I suspected Insect poison from the start."

"How come?" asked EZ.

"Well, see, an Insect usually kills its prey with the intention to eat it," said Lily, "which would be hard if the body shattered to pieces. So the venom of most powerful Insects not only kills, but preserves the body, letting the killer eat it at its leisure…

"But it was a poison I had never seen before… I had the forensic boys analyze it…

"It came from a Doom Dozer."

"A Doom Dozer?" asked EZ. "What in blazes?"

"Okay," replied Lily. "Picture if you will, a big arthropod, fifty feet long, with a hundred legs, blood-red scales, huge mandibles, and a temper like something out of Pandemonium, and you've got a pretty good picture of a Doom Dozer."

EZ gulped.

"It's a Level Eight Insect that's even stronger than the Insect Queen," sighed Lily. "The only Insect that's stronger is a Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth. The Insect Queen only keeps these guys from rebelling because she can dominate them with a thought, but…"

"Hold it…" said EZ. "How in Dark World did someone get the venom from a monster like that?"

Lily looked at him.

"Whoever did it likely used something to put it to sleep and then 'milk' it out of its poison glands," she answered.

EZ looked at the body of Earnest.

"I don't think an Amazon could have done that…" he muttered.

"Honey," chuckled Lily, "if an Amazon could walk into the Plant and Insect Living Quarters, sneak past the noses of the Insect Queen and the Green Phantom King, and subdue a Doom Dozer to collect its venom…"

She paused.

"Well, the chances of that happening are about the same as my chances of becoming the next Spellcaster Representative on the Shadow Council."

She took one last drag on her cigarette and crushed it out.

EZ was about to ask if a vampire would have any more luck, but he decided against it.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As EZ left the morgue, Gonzap was waiting for him.

"EZ," he sighed, "I made you an offer a year ago to give you your old job back. You know, the offer still stands…"

"Sorry…" said EZ.

"EZ, look," stated the Mystic Swordsman. "Let me ask you something. What do you think would have happened if the situation between you and Elfour had been reversed? What if _you_ had been enspelled by that Change of Heart cube, and _she_ had the ability to stop you, but needed to use lethal force?

"What would you have _wanted_ her to do?"

EZ paused.

"Let me add something to that, EZ," he asked. "Say you could have resisted the spell for fifteen seconds, long enough to tell her one sentence before it took over again. What would you have told her to do?"

Gonzap had a point…

What would he have told her to do?

He would have told her to kill him before he could hurt anyone else…

"EZ," said Gonzap, "I'm sure that wherever Elfour is right now, she thinks you made the right decision, and that she doesn't hate you. And I'm sure she doesn't want you to torture yourself over this…

"Please think about it…"

EZ sighed.

But he didn't have time to think about it now…

He was still on a case, and even if his old boss's words had meaning…

…he always finished what he started.

"By the way," said Gonzap, "I didn't think myself that the Amazons were involved either."

"Oh?" asked EZ. "Why?"

"This was not the only case of muggings that seemed to be committed by one group," sighed Gonzap. "Things like this happened in almost every Living Quarter at the same time…

"See, in the Fiend Quarter, victims were found pummeled unconscious and robbed, and pieces of a broken weapon made from bone were found by each one. Sounded a lot like the work of Giant Orcs, except that I found it hard to believe that some of these Fiends could survive being clobbered by an Orc.

"In the Spellcaster Quarter, victims were robbed after being attacked by someone who restrained them with a Shadow Spell. At each scene, we found two sets of footprints side by side. Gemini Elves maybe? Not unless they left those footprints on purpose.

"It was like that in every Quarter, and for some reason, in every investigation, we had some crooked cop handling it who was likely on the take. Earnest is dead now, and the others are going to be investigated thoroughly. We want to find out what's going on.

"These may be little crimes, but they may lead to something big.

EZ looked at him.

"Later, old friend," he said.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**_Coming up next: _**

EZ comes face-to-face with that Vampire Lady, and it won't be pretty. Also, a surprise development by someone you've seen before. Sonja comes back too, lest we forget about her. And more on the strange plot of little crimes that possibly leads to a big one. It's all coming up in "Banisher of the Light", coming soon.


	4. Banisher of the Light

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**CHAPTER FOUR**

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Banisher of the Light

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On one of the edges of the Level Four Warrior and Beast-Warrior Living Quarters was a special area.

It was a group of buildings, surrounded by a wooden fence, the wood having been imported from the Plant and Insect Living Quarters and bought after pooling money. Tacked on the wall were numerous signs that said "Keep Out!" and colder warnings.

Inside the wall, the buildings were primitive, but well built, made out of wood, skins, and other natural substances (again, most of it imported from the Plant and Insect domain, with more of it gotten from the Beast and Winged Beast Living Quarters). The residents weren't exactly poverty stricken, but they liked such primitive surroundings… They were the closest things to savages among Warriors, and they would likely have lived in the Beast and Winged Beast Quarters if it was allowed.

They were the Amazons, and this was their territory.

The keep out signs were enforced by one or two patrols at any one time – a Fighter or a Swords Woman usually, holding an Amazoness Tiger by a leash. These Beasts weren't very much of a threat on their own, but so long as one of their mistresses held them by a leash, they could be quite powerful.

If you came here, and didn't have a good reason, you'd quickly be told to leave. Refuse once, and you'd be forced out. If you resisted, you'd have to fight off a whole community who would show no mercy. Trespassers were rarely a problem.

If you _did_ have a good reason (like Earnest had), it was always a good idea to get it done fast and be on your way. You wouldn't get much of a warm reception in this place.

Years ago, when they first started to appear, the Amazons tried their best to integrate with other Warriors, but it never worked. They seemed to never get along with male monsters, and fights broke out between them and other Warriors frequently. Often times, this resulted in a few deaths… Sometimes an Amazon died, other times the other party did.

The Amazons hated having to acknowledge the Buster Blader as the one in charge of their well-being, but after a fight where an unfortunate Blowpiper was held down and beheaded, they appealed to him for separate living quarters. Forseti was notorious for having little care about the lower-level monsters, but he was sick of these street fights as much as everyone else was. So he pushed for funds to have the Amazoness Complex built.

Since then, dealing with newly created Amazons was rather easy for the volunteers in Beginner's Hall… After a few days of briefing, they were directed to the Complex, where the other Amazons would help them more than anyone else could. A young Amazon was always welcomed by the others.

Amazons very rarely took jobs with the police or military. As far as making a living went, there were two types: Some worked as mercenaries, bounty hunters, and bodyguards, usually to powerful female monsters. The Cosmo Queen spent most of her time living… well, somewhere else, but in the rare times that she appeared in the city, she had an entourage of Amazons as bodyguards. (Mostly for show, most folks thought – anything that could threaten a Level Eight monster probably wouldn't have much trouble getting past a group of Level Four ones.)

More frequent employers were the Mind On Airs that worked as bureaucrats in the Council Upper Quarters. These Spellcasters were Level Six, but they were much smarter than they were strong. Some Level Three Monsters could kill one if it came to a one-on-one fight. So a Mind On Air needed protection, and an Amazon could fit the bill well.

There were other clients… In recent years, Etoile Cybers and Blade Skaters discovered that they could fuse into a powerful Warrior called a Cyber Blader. Only one pair had managed it so far, and she had a few Amazons on her payroll. So did the Performance of Sword who was one of the major entertainment draws at the Forbidden Palace (the Amazons who worked for her mostly fended off anyone trying to get an autograph when she wasn't willing to give any).

Amazons who weren't bodyguards were crafters. They knew how to make some beautiful things out of wood, fibers, clay, horn, teeth, and bone when they could get it. Art collectors paid big for Amazon crafts and jewelry.

The Amazoness Blowpiper who called herself Cora was one of the crafters. She wasn't brave enough to hire herself out as a bodyguard, and she was too weak to act as one anyway. Right now, the frightening encounter with Earnest was still on her mind as she sat in her thatched hut working a hand loom. She hadn't slept since then… The fear of going to jail was heavy on her mind. If she was brought before one of the Monarchs, she was sure there'd be no mercy… For a Level Three monster, conviction was almost a certainty if you were dragged into court…

She shivered…

Zaborg, Thestalos, Granmarg, and Mobius… Unless you were an attorney or a bailiff, they were four monsters who _no one_ ever wanted to meet…

She didn't know that, right now, Earnest was dead, and his superior was taking a close look at other options.

At that point, the door swung open, and Sonja came in.

"Cora?" she asked.

Cora looked at her fearfully.

"It's all right, baby," said Sonja. "Someone is taking care of it as we speak…"

"Uh, who?" asked Cora.

"I had to bend a few rules," muttered Sonja, "but trust me, I think he's someone who knows what he's doing…"

She hugged her sister to comfort her. 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At this point, EZ only had one lead…

Earnest had been being blackmailed by a Vampire Lady.

So, what was he supposed to do, start asking the Lords if their brides were misbehaving? There likely had to be another way…

He remembered that Earnest's neighbor had mentioned something…

_"Lately I've seen him talking to some female monster… She always comes at night, dressed in a cloak and a hood, and he gets nervous around her. Something strange is going on…"_

He paused.

His neighbor!

Right now, it was the only possible lead… 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

EZ knocked on the door of an apartment that said MFO D-091-R.

After waiting a bit, the Marie the Fallen One slowly opened it. She was in the mood that these Fiends were usually in – depressed.

"Oh, hi, EZ…" she muttered. "Uhm, I was just about to have tea… care to join me?"

Maries were very friendly for Fiends. They had to be, considering their objective.

Maries were very strange monsters. There was a reason they were called Fallen Ones. They weren't Fiends when they were created – they were Fairies who resided in the Higher Plane.

However, at some point of their life, they did… something. Something very bad. It was considered impolite to ask just what one's crime had been, and if you were rude enough to ask anyway, she'd burst into tears and never answer. Most monsters assume it had something to do with other Fiends (maybe even those who lived in Dark World, perhaps even the Archfiends), which explained why they hated all other Fiends. 

Whatever the case, these criminals were punished by being transformed into Fiends themselves, and then banished from the Higher Plane.

A Marie had only one chance to get this sentence overturned. Someone in charge of punishing them had also created the Forgiving Maidens as their jailers, so to speak. It was possible for a Marie and a Maiden to fuse into a powerful Fairy called St. Joan. (And it might even be possible for that monster to evolve even further. The first St. Joan, who was a major player in the First Dragon War, was now a mighty Fairy Lord called Guardian Angel Joan.)

However, this fusion was even harder than most fusions. Even if a Marie could afford a Polymerization cube, a Maiden would refuse to join her unless she was sure penance had been done.

That was the main reason Maries were much more approachable than most Fiends. As Level Five monsters, they were the upper middle class, and used what influence they had to make up for whatever they had done. That usually meant charity work. It wasn't uncommon to see them running the soup kitchens in the Low Level Quarters, or trying to raise money for anything that went for the benefit of the less fortunate.

Of course, they still had to somehow get the Polymerization cube, like any monster who wanted it, so sadly, most of them would die before they could reach the Higher Plane again…

Marie slowly poured tea into two cups.

"Brownie?" she asked, pushing a plate forward.

"Thanks," replied EZ. "Uhm, the reason I came was, I was wondering about this cloaked woman that you saw with Earnest…"

"Hmph!" said Marie. "She was so full of herself. I didn't hear much, but I did hear one thing…

"See, Earnest was having second thoughts, and he was starting to tell her that he didn't care anymore…

"And she glared at him, and told him that he had no idea what he was dealing with.

"Then she said that his cooperation wasn't really _needed_, only _preferred_."

EZ rubbed his chin.

Earnest was clearly expendable…

This was something bigger than him…

…very big… 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Somewhere above the murky clouds, the sun must have gone down, because it started to get dark as EZ trudged home.

Now he had reached a complete dead end… No leads at all…

He noticed something as he walked down the street… There weren't many monsters around. The only creatures aside from himself were two Kuribohs fighting over an old pickle.

He started to walk quicker. The Market Square wasn't far ahead, and there'd be a lot of folks there…

As he passed by a large building, he vanished…

And a confused Winged Kuriboh appeared where he had been. 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

EZ looked around…

He was on the roof of a building, surrounded by Winged Kuribohs…

"Kuri, Kuri!" squeaked the little Fairies.

"Shoo, scat, go away!" he yelled, somewhat confused.

To his surprise, they _did_ scatter.

"I'm afraid a few winged vermin are the least of your worries, Sergeant," said a sinister voice.

A burnt out spell cube rolled towards him.

He picked it up. Creature Swap. Well, that explained how he got up here…

He looked in the direction of where it was thrown from, towards the door to the stairs going down…

A pair of glowing red eyes stared at him.

"That supposed to scare me?" he asked. "I'll have you know, I've seen eyes a lot scarier than _that_."

"Hmph!" said the voice.

She walked out of the doorway…

It was a Vampire Lady all right, a ravishing, sinister beauty in a violet dress.

One thing crossed EZ's mind:

_Where's a nice clove of garlic when you need one?_

"I don't believe we've been introduced yet, Sergeant," she said. "You can call me Natasha…"

"Let's get one thing straight," answered EZ, "I _really_ hate Zombies."

"Oh?" chuckled Natasha. "I've used DNA Surgery cubes in the past… They're a lot of fun. I'm just as beautiful when I'm a Fiend, Warrior, Spellcaster… But I tried Winged Beast once, and… well, let's just say I don't want to do that again."

EZ's eyes narrowed.

Some cops used that trap cube if it was necessary that they use a spell that a monster of their type simply could not use, but some rich monsters liked using them as twisted toys. If you ever wanted the thrill of being a Fiend for an hour or two, strap a DNA Surgery cube to your belt and turn it on – EZ failed to see just how it was fun, but apparently, some kooks got thrills off anything.

Clearly this vampire's spouse had spoiled her rotten.

"What do you want with me?" asked EZ.

"To the point…" chuckled Natasha. "I like that… I _want_ to continue what I was doing without you interfering, Sergeant. I'd have been able too, but my plan bombed…"

"Yeah…" growled EZ. "You told Earnest to kill me, but he failed…"

Natasha laughed.

"I _wanted_ him to fail, Sergeant!" she laughed. "I knew he was no match for you! Unfortunately, you decided to show mercy… And forced him to open his big mouth and tell you he was working for a vampire. So I had to take him out myself with a dose of Doom Dozer venom…"

"Bitch…" growled EZ.

He pulled a spell cube out of his pocket, and a Legendary Sword appeared in his hand.

"Who are you working for?" he asked. "Deacon? Frost? Orlock?"

"Could be one of them, could be all of them, could be someone else," laughed Natasha, "or I could be answering to only one authority… mine!"

She pulled a spell cube of her own out of her purse.

"And if you want a fight Sergeant, I'm willing to stand toe-to-toe with anyone who challenges me… after all, I haven't gotten dirty in ages! Actually, I kind of expected this…"

The spell cube activated, and a long rapier with a fiendish face on the hilt appeared in her hand…

EZ gulped…

It was a Sword of Dark Destruction…

And as he was considering this, she pounced… 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A small form ran through the street.

It paused to catch its breath.

_Got to help him,_ it thought. _He won't stand a chance…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

EZ parried, which was pretty much all he could do. Blow after blow from the vampire's sword struck his inferior weapon. This Zombie could use a sword as well as any Warrior; obviously, this was not just some Vampire Lord's concubine – she had received some serious training.

Even worse, she was stronger than he was… Even stronger that Earnest with her weapon.

Natasha backed him up against a ventilation shaft. She grinned…

She made a downward slash, and he rolled aside. The vent was sliced in two.

"Incidentally, Sergeant," she said, "I'm quite aware of your powers… I know I can't kill you right now…"

She chuckled.

"But, fortunately for you, I have no intention of killing you!"

"So you just what to beat the stuffing out of me?" asked EZ.

"Exactly!" laughed Natasha.

She swiped with the blade, tearing through EZ's tunic…

Fortunately, it couldn't pierce the armor underneath, but EZ was upset…

This had been his favorite suit!

Natasha paused for a second…

EZ rushed at her…

Only to receive a kick between the legs.

He winced in pain… Of all the dirty fighters he had encountered, no one had ever been dirty enough to hit him _there_.

That was it… he was out of here…

He reached into his pocket. He kept some of his more powerful spell cubes for emergencies, and he figured this qualified…

He took the cube out of his pocket, and backed up… Natasha closed in…

He activated the cube and tossed it on the ground. A hideous scream emitted from the cube.

"ARGH!" shouted Natasha, covering her ears. "Command Silencer?"

EZ ran for the fire escape, hoping that the spell would keep her occupied for a few minutes.

He was halfway down when he noticed that the fire escape was incredibly rusty and most of its rivets were missing…

He started to panic as it strained under his weight.

"Heh, heh…" chuckled Natasha's voice above him.

He looked up.

"Maybe a diet is in order Sergeant, you think?" she mocked.

She gave the structure a shove, and it strained even more…

"No… no…" gasped EZ.

"Timber…" chuckled the Vampire Lady, as the fire escape collapsed on itself. 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As EZ lay on the ground, he did a quick mental check of his whole body…

He had quite a few bruises, some scrapes and cuts, but no bones were broken. At least he didn't think so…

He staggered to his feet and looked around.

Another miracle: the Legendary Sword hadn't been destroyed. He slowly picked it up. 

But his relief was short-lived, as Natasha simply floated down in front of him.

She frowned…

With a single swipe, the sword flew from his hand.

"I changed my mind," she said, grabbing his collar. "After all, this fight has given me quite an appetite…"

EZ started to sweat as she pulled him close… Her teeth grew into fangs…

Slowly, she moved towards his neck…

Neither of them saw the trap cube thrown at their feet…

It went off with an explosion of energy. The two monsters screamed as they were slammed to the ground.

"What in the name of…" shouted Natasha.

She tried to pull herself off the ground, but she was stuck fast.

"Sergeant!" she shouted. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything!" replied EZ. "Can't you see that it's got me too?"

And then, a small hand put a spell cube in his hand.

EZ was surprised to see what it was. As he activated it, he saw a small form run away and into the darkness.

His eyes narrowed.

He stood up and placed the cube in his pocket. He'd find his benefactor later.

He picked up the Legendary Sword and walked up to Natasha who was still struggling. He placed the sword against the nape of her back.

"Tell the Archfiends I said hi…" he muttered.

He was about to drive it though her heart…

But then he stopped himself.

_Great Slifer, what am I doing?_ he thought.

Sure, Natasha had tried to kill him, sure she deserved to die…

But if he killed her, he'd be signing his own death warrant.

Whatever Vampire Lord she was with would _not_ take kindly to his bride being slain…

Not take kindly? He'd be infuriated.

No one wanted a Lord mad at him. If she was killed, it would take less than an hour for him to find out that he did it, and before the night was over, there'd be a huge bounty on his head and every hired gun in the city would be after him. He'd have nowhere to run…

He wasn't stupid…

He deactivated the Sword.

"I'll see you around, Natasha," he said. "And don't worry, that Gravity Bind cube will burn out on its own in about three hours."

"Three hours?" shouted Natasha. "When I get my hands on you, I'm going to rip your heart out and stuff it down your throat! I'm going to…"

But he was gone.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The next morning, EZ was in his office, sipping from a Blue Medicine bottle.

He checked his watch.

At nine on the dot, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," he said.

Sonja walked in.

"Any news?" she asked.

"Lots," he said with a sigh. "First of all, you can tell your sister that Earnest won't bother her again… He's dead…"

"Oh?" asked Sonja.

She paused.

"Well, it serves him right," she growled. "The guy was out of control. Did you do it?"

"No, a Vampire Lady did it," he answered. "For some reason, she has it out for you girls, and last night, she would have killed me, if I hadn't been saved by an Ebon Magician Curran…"

"A Curran?" asked Sonja, almost laughing. "How could one of them help you?"

"She threw a Gravity Bind at us," answered EZ. "And then, she slipped me this…"

He put the spell cube on the desk.

"It's a cube called Demotion," he explained. "It fools spells, traps, or almost anything into thinking that you're two levels lower than you really are. Level Four police use them when then need to use Gravity Bind…"

"How could some Level Two Spellcaster afford such cubes?" asked Sonja.

"There's one who both could, and would use them to help me," answered EZ. "And we have to know why…

"So, do you have plans for lunch?"

Sonja gave him a look. She crossed her arms.

"Sergeant," she said, "If you're asking me out, forget it… That is forbidden. And if you think…"

"I'm not asking you for a date, Sonja," replied EZ. "I want you to help with some investigating…"

"I dunno…" muttered Sonja.

"I'll buy?" suggested EZ. 

"All right, fine…" muttered Sonja. "It's not like I eat out often anyway…" 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Two hours later was eleven o'clock, the time when the Red Cent stopped serving breakfast and started serving lunch.

When EZ and Sonja arrived, one Warrior was still mulling over a half-eaten plate of hash browns and eggs. EZ knew the guy… apparently, this cop was on break.

MD N-001-A was a Makyura the Destructor. Makyuras were intimidating Warriors… At first glance, they looked more like Fiends than Warriors, with their single eyes, bladed, exotic armor, and sharp blades on their wrists…

But Enone had a lot of problems. It wasn't that he lacked skill, strength, or smarts… The problem was, he lacked confidence. Maybe he was simply a nonconformist, but he never even tried to gain promotion past 3rd Level Officer. EZ had continually told him that he might go far if he simply tried.

"Hey, Enone!" laughed EZ. "What's up?"

"Eh, not much…" muttered the Makyura, picking at what was left of his potatoes. "I'm looking for some Lady Ninja Yae who's selling contraband Statue of the Wicked cubes… But she's one step ahead of me…"

"Statue of the Wicked?" asked Sonja.

"Very diabolic trap cubes," answered EZ, "meant to fool anyone who tries to use a spell or trap to destroy trap cubes. If a Statue of the Wicked trap is destroyed, it creates something called a Wicked Statue, that attacks whoever destroyed the trap. It isn't too powerful, but some monsters fill rooms with ten or more of these things, hoping an intruder uses a Heavy Storm."

"Yeah, and this Ninja is getting them from some underworld supplier and selling them to people who shouldn't have them," muttered Enone. "And I got stuck tracking her down…"

"You can handle it, Enone!" urged EZ. "Just keep telling yourself, you're a better Warrior than she is, and you'll nab her!"

Then Sally came out of the kitchen.

She gulped.

"Uh, hi EZ…" she stuttered. "Uh… would you and your… uh, friend like to see the menu?"

"No Sally," answered EZ, sitting down, "we know exactly what we want…"

"We do?" asked Sonja.

"Yes," replied EZ. "We want two of Orville's special three-cheese-three-sausage calzones!"

"Uh…" muttered Sally. "You do know that will take a half an hour…"

"I know," said EZ, "and while they're being prepared, I want a chat with you…"

Sally gulped again.

"Anything to drink?" she squeaked in fear.

"Coffee," said EZ.

"Iced tea," said Sonja.

Sally nervously put her pacifier in her mouth, and went into the kitchen.

"Well," muttered Enone, looking at his watch, "my break is almost over… Best get back on the case…"

He threw some money on the table and walked out.

"Once Sally gets back with the drinks, we'll have a little talk…" said EZ.

On cue, the Curran came to the table with a cup of coffee and a glass of ice tea.

"I'll go check on those calzones…" she said, quickly.

"HOLD IT!" shouted EZ, grabbing the hood.

She forced Sally into a chair.

"All right, Bunny-Ears, I want some answers…" he said.

"About what?" said Sally, nervously.

"What do you mean about what?" snapped EZ. "A certain Ebon Magician Curran saved me from a Vampire Lady last night… And I know it was you."

"How do you know it wasn't some other Curran?" asked Sally nervously.

EZ rolled his eyes.

"Okay, let's look at the facts, shall we?" started EZ.

"One, I don't know any other Currans, so no other Currans would have any reason to help me.

"Two, not many Currans other than you would even be in the Level Four Warrior Quarters.

"Three, almost all Currans are too poor to afford Gravity Bind trap cubes and Demotion spell cubes, but this restaurant uses them all the time.

"My one question is, Sally, just how did you know I was in trouble?"

Sally bowed her head.

"I just knew…" she muttered.

"Sally…" said EZ in a comforting voice, "was Natasha blackmailing you too?"

"EZ, please!" begged Sally. "I saved your life, so let's leave it at that!"

She hopped off the chair and ran to the kitchen.

EZ leaned on his hand.

"She knows something," he said, shaking his head, "and we gotta know it too…"

"Why don't we just hold her upside down and shake her until some answers come out?" suggested Sonja.

"Sally isn't the type you can do that too, Sonja," he said. "People like Earnest might bully those weaker than him, but I'm not like that… For all we know, Sally is just too scared to tell us the whole story, and it's not like we can beat the truth out of her…"

He paused.

"And the worst part is, if we get rough with her, we get Orville mad at us, and I don't want to lose him as an ally…"

He thought for a minute…

"I've got an idea that we might be able to use to get her to talk, but it involves going to the Low Level Warrior Quarters.

"Swell," muttered Sonja. "We get to go slumming…" 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In most Quarters, the Low Level sections were dirty places, full of garbage, gutter-trash, and assorted riff-raff. Such places were havens for bootleggers and peddlers who sold spell cubes that were either fake or illegal.

The Low Level Warrior Quarters were an exception. Forseti did not tolerate such things, nor did he like litter and clutter. So in this part of the city, even the Low Level Quarters tended to be clean. The buildings still weren't the best quality and the stores were still third rate, but it was the cleanest of the Low Level Quarters.

Still, both EZ and Sonja kept their weapons drawn. Crime was still a problem in these areas…

"There…" said EZ, motioning to a door.

"What?" asked Sonja.

"That's the entrance to one of the largest watering holes of the underworld…

"The Dead End Cantina. Nowhere else will you find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy… And the mozzarella sticks are pretty good too!

"I'm reasonably certain our target will be here right now…"

"How do you know?" asked Sonja.

"Experience," said EZ. "I come here to meet with underworld sources all the time. It's Friday. Friday is the night that they serve Mad Lobster cakes. And the guy I'm looking for can't resist Mad Lobster cakes…"

They went up to the door.

"Watch yourself in here…" he warned.

He knocked on the door _once._

A slot opened and one large eye peered out.

**"What's duh password?"** asked a gruff voice.

"Death to Dark Ruler," replied EZ.

The voice growled, and the door clicked. It slowly opened.

EZ looked at the doorman, a very muscular Hitotsu-Me Giant.

"Nice eyeball, Eyeball," commented EZ.

**"Wise guy!"** snarled the Beast-Warrior, as they went in.

"Death to Dark Ruler?" asked Sonja.

"This hangout is mostly for crooks who have no loyalty to Ha Des," replied EZ. "Most of the folks who come here hate him. Rumor has it that at least one of the Elemental Heroes came in here in disguise looking for information… before they all were murdered…"

Inside the place, it was much more exquisite than it was on the outside. Comfortable couches colored red dominated the bar, which had a predominately red theme.

A Muse-A played her harp in a corner. At one table, a Karate Man and a King Fog drank beer from mugs.

In a lone corner, a Goblin King (misnamed monsters if their ever were any) and a White Magical Hat snacked on breadsticks and marinara. 

At the bar itself a Princess of Tsurugi tended a customer… Sure enough, a plate of Mad Lobster cakes was in front of him, as well as a beer mug…

The customer himself was a remarkable Warrior. He was dressed in a leather outfit that had a black top (with no sleeves) and red pants. His spiky, blonde hair was held up by a red headband. Slung across his back was a wooden mallet.

EZ went up to him.

"Oh, Chick…" he said, tapping him on the shoulder.

Chick the Yellow spun around in surprise.

He gave a nervous grin, and then slowly got off his chair…

He tried to make a run for it, but EZ was expecting that. He grabbed the Dark Scorpion by the collar.

"Not so fast, Chick, you and me are gonna have words!" he ordered.

"What?" gulped Chick. "I thought you had…"

"Quit?" asked EZ. "Yeah… But I just came by to say hi…"

"Look, Sergeant…" gasped Chick, "I'm not worth it, I just…"

"Oh, please, Chick, show some backbone for once!" shouted EZ. "I mean what does Don even use you for? Bait?"

"Well, uhm…" stuttered Chick.

He shivered in fear.

"Don't answer that," ordered EZ. "I'm not gonna turn you in, Chick, I need you to deliver a little message…"

"Message?" asked Chick.

"Yeah, a message!" said EZ with a smirk. "Remember the time when you were arrested? Remember how I was in charge of the holding cells? Remember how Meanae came in to get you out, and I caught her in the act, but I told her I'd look the other way? 

"And then, remember how Don showed up the next day and told me he owed me a favor?"

"Well Chick," chuckled EZ, slapping the thief on the cheek, "you tell Don that I want you guys to do me that favor!"

"Uh, okay…" gulped Chick. "Tell you what… I'll go tell him right now…"

He wrenched free and ran towards the door, running smack into a Pixie Knight. 

"Sorry," he said, getting up.

He was gone the next minute.

"You helped one of the Scorpions escape?" gulped Sonja.

EZ signaled to the bartender.

"I took advantage of a situation," he replied. "I realized that no matter what I did, Meanae would have sprung Chick anyway. But rather than try to fight her, I told her I'd look the other way…

"And as a result, the Dark Scorpions owe me a favor. That isn't easy to get from them.

"You know what they say, Sonja, sometimes to make a great omelet you have to break a few eggs."

The Princess of Tsurugi came up.

"Gin and tonic for me," he sighed. "And uh…"

He looked over at the Goblin King and the White Magical Hat, who had watched the whole exchange and were chuckling softly.

"…two orders of what they're having."

"I'll have a martini," said Sonja.

Then she grinned.

"On second thought, I'll have some of the stuff you keep in the back for yourself!"

The Princess grinned.

"You asked for it…" she replied.

"You're learning fast…" chuckled EZ. 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Each Living Quarters had a total of six subsections:

Low-Level, Level Four, Level Five, Level Six, High-Level, and Penthouses.

The best parts of each town were the Penthouses. Mostly, they were inhabited by the richest monsters, regardless of what their actual level was.

And in the Zombie Living Quarters, almost all the Penthouses were inhabited by Vampire Lords.

Deep within one of these Penthouses was an evil parody of a bedchamber. Blood red curtains adorned the walls alongside evil-looking sculptures, centered around a large piece of furniture that looked like a cross between a bed and a coffin.

In this room, Natasha was sulking. She was dressed in her nightgown and her hair was loose, but not even the attention of her spouse was enough to heal the humiliation she had received.

Speaking of which…

The more powerful Zombie came up from behind and hugged her.

"Still upset, my dear?" he asked.

She growled.

"I was glued to the ground for four hours after he left," she grumbled. "What was I supposed to do, yell for help? There are very few Warriors of Level Three or less who are willing to help someone like me…"

The Vampire Lord chuckled. He produced two glasses and a bottle of red liquid.

"Don't be sad, my dear," he assured her, pouring it. "That Warrior still knows little. Perhaps I'll confront him myself soon…"

They sipped the drink. 

"And since stage one is completed, we can proceed to stage two…

"And very soon, one little defeat will mean nothing…" 

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

EZ's plan to get Sally to talk comes to fruition, as he meets up with the greatest thieves in the history of the Shadow Realm. Also, the villainous plot continues, as more of the as-yet unnamed Vampire Lord is revealed. It's a chapter called "Secret Pass to the Treasures", coming soon.


	5. Secret Pass to the Treasures

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**CHAPTER FIVE**

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Secret Pass To The Treasures

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The next morning, at seven AM, EZ was brushing his teeth, trying hard to get the bad breath out – those breadsticks he had at the Dead End had been covered with garlic cheese, and, well, sleeping after eating them had done a number on his halitosis.

He supposed that might have been a plus if Natasha had showed up, but seeing as many monsters _other_ than vampires were offended by the smell of garlic breath, he couldn't take the chance.

He wondered now if talking to Chick had been worth it. The guy probably would have run back to that secret place somewhere in the Warrior Quarters the Dark Scorpions had (where it was hidden was a secret only they knew) and hid under his bed without saying anything…

As he spit his toothpaste out, he heard a soft knock on his door.

_Strange,_ he thought. _Sonja isn't going to be here until nine…_

He wiped his mouth and went to the door.

He carefully opened it.

No one was there.

He remembered having almost fallen for this before. He looked left to right…

Then he noticed an envelope on the ground.

He picked it up and opened it…

His eyes narrowed as he read the short note… 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Two hours later, another knock came on the door, a knock that EZ recognized.

"Come in," he said.

Sonja walked in. EZ was sitting with his back to her, facing the window behind his desk.

"So what's the plan for today?" she asked.

"We got results," answered EZ, not turning around. "Take a look at that note on the desk."

Sonja picked up the note.

**  
**_**Sergeant,**_

Come to the Warrior's Market Square, alone, at 3PM this afternoon. Sit at the park bench in front of the tailor's shop. We'll take it from there.

Where a signature would be was a silhouette of a scorpion, colored black.

"Is this from the…" she asked.

"Yes," answered EZ.

"So when do we leave?" she asked.

"We?" asked EZ. "There's no 'we', Sonja, they told me to come alone, and I'd best do so…"

"But…" started Sonja.

"No buts, Sonja, these people can be dangerous. I'm taking a risk, and I don't want you involved too."

"How dangerous can they be?" asked Sonja, almost grinning. "Chick crumpled like an old newspaper when you grabbed him…"

"Uh huh…" muttered EZ. "But I'll bet if his life was in danger or I was with Ha Des, he wouldn't have hesitated to use the Sakuretsu Armor trap cube that was in his pouch."

Sonja was dumbstruck for a minute.

"He was packing a Sakuretsu Armor cube?" she gasped.

"Two of them," replied EZ. "Plus one Gravity Bind, one Spellbinding Circle, two Creature Swaps, and a Heavy Storm. He obviously had other cubes that I didn't see hidden on him too…"

He paused.

"…and as far as the Dark Scorpions go, he's the _least_ heavily armed."

"These guys are that dangerous?" asked Sonja, in fear.

EZ turned around.

"Why do you think I chose to help Meanae instead of trying to apprehend her?" he asked. "I knew what she was capable of… She only accepted my 'help' because I could have brought the whole station down on her."

He tilted his chair to the side.

"Let me make a comparison… It's a story that all cops know about…

"Years ago, before my time, there was a master criminal called the Great Phantom Thief… He could steal anything, break into the most secure places, take anything that wasn't nailed down, and rip loose that which was. Nothing was sacred to him… He robbed every penthouse in the city, some of them twice.

"Whole task forces were devoted to bringing him in, but he was slipperier than a Sinister Serpent and could hide in the smallest shadow. One story says he even robbed the CSRPD Headquarters of their most powerful spell cubes just to prove that he could.

"But his career eventually came to an end…

"In one hallway in Headquarters, there's one wall devoted to portraits of the greatest officers of all time, police who did things so great that none could be considered their equal. One painting is the Blast Magician who called himself Inspector Zedar. Spellcasters are rare among the CSRPD, Level Four ones are rarer, but Zedar is one that everyone admires. He vanished a hundred years ago, but no one will likely forget him…

"The reason he made Inspector was because he caught the Great Phantom Thief.

"The chase was an infamous one. You see, Zedar trailed the Thief to the Fiend Quarters, and the criminal couldn't lose him. He used ever spell cube in his arsenal to try to throw Zedar off… A mistake on his part.

"Want to hazard a guess why that was a bad idea?"

Sonja looked at him.

"Blast Magicians… They can absorb the energy from spell cubes!" she exclaimed.

"Exactly," said EZ, nodding. "The more the Great Phantom Thief tried to lose him, the stronger Zedar got…

"Finally, at the edge of the Low Level Fiend Quarters, Zedar had his target trapped. The Great Phantom Thief tried to escape by scrambling up an abandoned building.

"Zedar had gathered all the energy he needed from the spell cubes used earlier in the chase. He waited for the Great Phantom Thief to reach the roof, and then leveled the building with one mighty blast.

"The arrest was as simple as combing the rubble for the unconscious Thief.

"But that wasn't the end of the story. When the Thief was finally brought to trial, Zaborg the Thunder Monarch decided to take no chances whatsoever. He ordered the most… original execution…

"To make sure he would truly die, Zaborg ordered him chained down on his knees by a Shadow Spell, and for the execution to be carried out by _three_ Beautiful Headhuntresses. One stood in front of him, one stood in back, the third by his side. And to make certain he couldn't escape the swords, one swung left-to-right, one swung right-to-left, and the one at his side split his head down the middle…

"That ended his career forever…

"Or so everyone thought…

"No one knew it at the time, but he had taken on an apprentice, one who would eventually become an even greater thief than he was. This apprentice found four other thieves of similar skill, and while the methods changed a bit…

"The legacy of the Great Phantom Thief would soon be more of a menace than it ever was."

He paused.

"You're beginning to see why I'd rather have them as allies than enemies, Sonja," he said. "As Ha Des can tell you, they make _bad_ enemies. And I don't want to get on their bad side.

"Trust me, this is something I have to do alone. The Dark Scorpions may not kill cops – or former cops – or civilians most of the time… 

"But if they're put in jeopardy, that's what they'll do. They didn't become such experts by being stupid." 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Warrior's Market Square was a busy place in the Level Four section, where you could buy just about anything that a Level Four monster could afford. Vendors peddled their wares, and small shops dotted the busy neighborhood.

EZ sat on a park bench slowly sipping coffee he had gotten from a vendor. It tasted terrible, but at least it was strong.

He kept his eye on everyone who passed by…

A Rocket Warrior… A Nin-Ken Dog… A Hayabusa Knight… No one he would be waiting for.

He took his pocket watch out of his tunic and looked at it. Ten minutes to three. Well, they'd likely be right on time.

A Hard Armor passed by. EZ shrugged. More weird monsters.

He looked across the street at the tailor's shop. It was a unique store, run by a Lady Panther.

With the exception of Machines and Dragons, most sentient Monsters wore clothes. Emphasis on _most_. Not all of them did. The most famous example of a monster who didn't was the Council's Fiend Representative. Most folks assumed that the Summoned Skull went unclothed simply because not many articles of clothing would fit over his wings.

When a monster was born, he appeared with whatever clothing or armor was the norm for his race. But a monster couldn't go through life with only one set of clothes. Fortunately, a new suit could be created via use of a very cheap spell cube called a Tailor of the Fickle.

The Lady Panther who owned this shop, however, did her work by hand, for any monster who wanted special clothing. Most of her clients were Warriors, and rumor had it that this was the place where Inspector Yoshida had his robe restyled.

Yeah, Yoshida was a pretty good cop… Ironically, he was the cop who was the most intent on bringing the Scorpions in. If he had ever found out that Don Zaloog had promised to owe EZ a favor he'd flip his wig…

As EZ was thinking this, he saw a Magician's Valkyria in front of him. 

Their eyes met, and she stared at him. She turned and walked away.

He got up and followed.

The Valkyria turned into an alley, and walked towards a garage used to house an Overdrive. EZ followed from a safe distance…

The garage door opened, and she walked in. It didn't close, so he carefully ventured in.

There was no Overdrive inside, so he just stopped.

"You can come out now," he said. "I know you're here."

The Valkyria walked out of the shadows.

"Any reason why you're following me?" she asked.

"I thought you wanted me to…" said EZ.

He paused.

"…Meanae…"

She frowned. She removed her hat and a wig fell off, revealing long, raven hair.

"What gave it away?" asked Meanae the Thorn.

"It was a pretty good disguise, I'll admit," answered EZ, "and it might have fooled the average monster… But I can tell when a Dark monster is pretending to be a Light one. It just doesn't fit. My senses are acute."

"Acute, right…" muttered Meanae. "Were they acute enough to see the cube that's right at your feet?"

EZ looked down, startled. A spell cube was at his feet…

Before he could react, it activated…

Mesmeric Control…

His eyes started to get heavy as the spell started to overpower him.

"Sorry about this Sergeant," said Meanae's voice, "but we have rules to follow when we meet with someone…"

He fell over, as sleep overtook him. 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In a dark room in a Penthouse in the Zombie Living Quarters, Natasha slashed at her opponent with her Sword of Dark Destruction.

Her sparring partner, armed with the same weapon, was the Vampire Lord who had consoled her last night.

"You're using too many slashing attacks, work on thrusts," he said, as he parried.

He backed up, as she changed her style.

"How many times must I tell you, guard your left flank!" he urged.

He aimed for that area with his blade, and she parried the blow.

"Good…" he said.

He waved his free hand, and she was propelled backwards, landing on her back.

She leapt up and the swords clashed again.

"Don't get careless," he warned, as he fended off the blows. "You aren't following through… You're holding the hilt too tightly…"

He swung his sword, and hers flew from her hand.

He caught it.

"…now too loosely…" he added. "But still, you're getting better…"

"Thank you, beloved," she said, as he deactivated them. "Your training has been invigorating. That foolish Warrior could hardly keep up."

"Yes…" he said. "Sergeant EZ… Maybe I should have a word with him soon… After all, it might be…"

He heard a loud roar echo from the hallway.

"Oh no…" he muttered.

With a loud roar, a monster mounted on a noisy contraption sped into the chamber. Smoke poured from the mount, and the two vampires coughed.

The monster was a Dokurorider, one of the strangest monsters around. They were, in a sense, two Monsters in one. The primary part of them was a standard Zombie; a strong one, but unremarkable by himself.

His mount was the strange part. It didn't appear to be a Zombie, but a Machine of some sort. It was an infernal contraption with two wheels for locomotion, and a huge skull on the front.

"Zero-Five, please tell me you're bringing something other than noise and smoke," snarled the Vampire Lord.

The Dokurorider dismounted and bowed.

"Things are going just as planned, Baron Samedi," he said in a guttural voice. "The CSRPD is starting to increase police presence in the Zombie Quarters…"

"Which shouldn't interfere with Stage Two," said Samedi.

He walked up to a pedestal where a glowing, blue orb the size of a grapefruit was placed on a stand. He picked it up.

"After all, Stage One worked like a charm," he said.

"One other thing," said the Dokurorider. "That Shapesnatch you often do business with says that his latest batch of recruits is his best, and you likely will find what you need tomorrow night."

Samedi frowned.

"I've never gotten anything from him except expendable grunts," he muttered. "Ah, well, I might as well go… It might be a good way to find cheap labor…" 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Wakey, wakey… Eggs and bakey."

EZ slowly came too.

He was sitting in a chair in a dark room. He slowly looked around.

His confident attitude quickly became nervous. Don Zaloog was standing right in front of him. Meanae and Cliff were behind him, and Chick was crouching in the corner.

He turned his head, and saw Gorg the Strong behind him.

Next to Don was a table, and EZ's sword and other belongings were on it.

"Sorry about the spell cube, Sergeant," said Don, "but we couldn't let you see how you got here."

"Yeah," said EZ, starting to get up. "If you'd just…"

He was interrupted as Gorg grabbed his shoulder and forced him back into the chair.

"OW!" shouted EZ. "You could have warned me!"

Gorg just stared at him.

"Does this walking mountain ever talk?" asked EZ.

"We figure he's just never had anything to say," answered Cliff.

Don smirked.

"Just don't make any sudden moves and you won't be hurt, Sergeant," he said. "I'm still very wary about trusting cops…"

"Former cop…" muttered EZ.

"Ah, yes," answered Don. "I searched through your supply of spells and traps, Sergeant, and most of them I can understand you having…"

He picked up one of the trap cubes.

"But this one I didn't expect," he continued. "They must have paid you quite a lot for you to have bought it…"

"It was a gift," answered EZ.

"And you work as a PI!" laughed Meanae. "You could name your price for something like that!"

"I'm saving it for a special occasion," said EZ, annoyed.

"Now, now, folks," said Don, putting it back. "He must have his reasons… Anyway, Sergeant, when I said I owed you a favor, I meant it… But I also meant I would owe you one within limits. I mean, if what you want us to do has the slightest risk involved…"

"Well, Don," said EZ, "the thing is, I need a certain spell cube. It's one that would be impossible for me to obtain, seeing as they don't sell or even make them anymore to my knowledge, but it wouldn't be too hard for the greatest thieves in the city…"

Don looked at him.

"And just what is this incredibly hard-to-find spell?" he asked.

EZ took a piece of paper out of his pocket and then wrote something down on it.

"May I?" he asked Gorg.

Gorg took the piece of paper.

He let out a small chuckle and handed it to Don.

"Heh, heh, heh, heh," laughed Don. "Look at this, guys!"

Cliff, Meanae, and Chick looked at it, and they giggled.

"Well, EZ," chuckled Don, "we could certainly get that with a minimum of trouble, but you've piqued my curiosity. What do you want it for?"

"Oh, maybe I want to give it to a friend for All Shadow's Beginning," he answered.

"That's not for eight months," replied Cliff. "No one shops that early."

EZ rolled his eyes.

"If you must know," he said, "I know someone who could use this. She knows information that I need to know, but in order to get her to talk, I need something she won't be able to resist."

Don folded his arms. He turned serious.

"Fine," he said. "That's a valid reason… We'll have it at your door tomorrow morning."

He held up a spell cube.

"But once you have it, Sergeant, you and me are even!"

He activated the cube, and the Mesmeric Control started to take effect… 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

EZ woke up on the street not far from his apartment. He had a bad headache.

He checked his pouch, and all his cubes were there, even his special one.

He was pretty hungry, not having eaten since his run in at the Market Square. Well, there was a sandwich shop nearby.

He could only hope that the Dark Scorpions would deliver. 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At seven AM the next morning, Baron Samedi rested in his coffin-bed, holding Natasha by his side. She was asleep, but he was too tense.

He had big plans, and they wouldn't be easy. His goal was something that all the Lords dreamed of, but not all believed was possible. Some thought it was nothing more than a fairy tale.

He wasn't a one-hundred percent certain that it would work… Stupid old Moloch had tried and failed miserably. He didn't need to be reminded what happened to him.

But he was smarter…

And while he wasn't one-hundred percent certain, he was at least ninety percent certain that it would work.

Still, at noon he would have to get up to meet with a Shapesnatch who he had rarely gotten anything from but a big laugh… 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

EZ woke up early as usual, and was surprised to see a package at the foot of his bed.

He looked at it and saw a note attached. He read it:

_**Sergeant,**_

It wasn't hard to get. We even gift-wrapped it for you. Tell whoever you give this to, happy hunting.

It was signed by the image of a black scorpion.

EZ opened the box, and took out the spell cube inside.

It was the real thing, all right.

The rivalry between White Magician Pikerus and Ebon Magician Currans went back as long as each race could remember. Exactly why the two races were enemies, no one knew, maybe not even them. But they had a lot in common. Some said that the two races were related, and perhaps that both races were ruled by a queen (although if this being existed, she kept herself hidden).

This theory was supported by a spell cube that was used years ago… It was called Trial of the Princess. No one knew who made them, but it was a way for the weak Pikerus and Currans to become more powerful.

If one of them obtained one of these cubes, they had to keep it on them, and their magical power increased. If during this time they could challenge and defeat an opponent who was Level Five or higher in a fair fight, they would evolve…

Becoming "Princesses" so to speak.

Unfortunately it all fell apart fifty years ago, due to a Goblin of Greed with a ghoulish taste in entertainment. He ran gladiatorial combats under the Low Level Warrior Quarters for paying viewers, and these fights almost always ended with a bloody fatality.

The thing about gladiatorial matches is, you always have to find something original to keep customers interested. So this Goblin got a hold of several dozen Trial of the Princess cubes, and recruited both Currans and Pikerus as gladiators, promising that they would get one and their opponents would be at least Level Five. None of them could resist the offer. Unfortunately, often times the opposition was just too powerful, and the small Spellcasters died in the attempt.

The Goblin's sadistic career was ended when the authorities discovered his operations. He was arrested, and the arena was shut down. But when this misuse of the Trial of the Princess cubes was discovered, the Council's Spellcaster Representative was concerned it could happen again. A law was passed, and sale of the cubes were outlawed. Whoever was making them stopped doing so.

But a few were left, hidden away in vaults and caches… And the small magicians would still do anything to get them.

And now that EZ had one, Sally would likely tell him anything. 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the Low Level Zombie Living Quarters, an Oni Tank T-34 drove down the street, and came to a stop in front of a large building.

A door opened on it, and Baron Samedi walked out. He locked the door.

He walked towards the building.

"Hey buddy," said a voice.

He turned and saw a 13th Grave.

"Wanna get a good deal on some Pump Up cubes?" it snickered.

Samedi gripped the Zombie's face and shoved it, throwing it into a group of trash cans.

"Hey, a simple no would have sufficed!" moaned the Grave.

"Actions speak louder than words," said Samedi, reaching into his pocket. "By the way…"

He flicked a spell cube, and an Axe of Despair appeared in his hand. 

"My name is Baron Samedi, and I _really_ love that car…"

"Hey, I'll just watch it for you, buddy!" protested the Zombie.

Samedi grinned as he went inside. Anyone who tried to steal or vandalize it would fall victim to the Widespread Ruins on it anyway.

He walked down a dark stairway, and was met by the Shapesnatch that called itself simply R-4.

"The process of elimination has already begun, most illustrious Baron Samedi," said the Machine. "I think you will find something good this time."

"I find that doubtful," said Samedi, as he followed him. "The only thing I've ever found here were cheap thugs."

"It will be different this time, I assure you," said R-4, as he led the Vampire Lord to a balcony.

Samedi shook his head. If he had a dollar for every time he had heard that, he'd be even richer.

He sat down with the Shapesnatch next to him.

In front of him was set up a huge, rocky arena, where an apparent free-for-all was already in process. Several Monsters – most of them Fiends and Machines – were fighting, showing no restraint.

A Dark Blade mounted upon a Pitch Dark Dragon ran his sword across a Drillago, blowing the Machine to pieces. He hardly had time to celebrate before he was clobbered by a Giant Orc. At the other end of the arena, an Opticlops grappled with a Lesser Fiend.

Samedi was disappointed as he usually was. No real promise was here. If he had to chose, the best monster was likely the Beast of Talwar that had just finished off a Robotic Knight.

A shadowy shape approached from behind…

And a second later, the Shapesnatch was gone. In its place was a robed and cowled figure.

"Impressive," said Samedi, not turning around. "You mask your presence well… Perfect timing, perfect control… You have great skills of infiltration. My host would applaud your skills… posthumously.

"However, I have no need for a spy."

The figure looked at him.

And then it leapt down into the arena.

Samedi got up, and watched as the figure threw off his cape. He wore a dark cloak, and had dark skin, white hair, and pointed ears.

A Mechanicalchaser and a Boar Soldier made a rush for him. He simply gestured, and they flew backwards, crashing into the opposite wall.

A Launcher Spider noticed him. It fired a barrage of missiles, and he gestured, redirecting them. They exploded against two other monsters. The Launcher Spider paused and attacked again.

His foe repeated the trick, taking out four more of the fighters.

Samedi raised an eyebrow.

The Launcher Spider concentrated, and a crosshairs appeared on his foe. He fired a third time…

This time the creature redirected the attack on the Spider itself, and it blew up.

The Giant Orc watched as the Machine's head rolled to its feet.

It roared and raised its club. It and several other monsters rushed the stranger…

He gestured, and the ceiling cracked. Boulders fell upon the Giant Orc and several other monsters… 

The Lesser Fiend lunged at him…

Then a slash from the sword of the Beast of Talwar took the Lesser Fiend out.

The mysterious fighter flipped backwards, and the Beast pursued…

Finally, the fighter activated two spell cubes, and two Swords of Dark Destruction appeared in his hands. He made two savage slashes, and the Beast fell, shattering into pieces.

Baron Samedi clapped. The victor bowed.

The Vampire Lord floated down into the arena.

"I've heard stories about Patricians of Darkness," he said. "I know now that they weren't exaggerated."

"Yes," said the other Zombie. "I've been in hiding for a while. Ever since Richie was killed…"

Samedi raised an eyebrow.

"So, you worked for Richie…" he said. "Very interesting…

"Perhaps you'd like more sold employment, Mr.?"

"Call me Morphenian," said the Patrician, bowing again. "And it would be an honor to serve one such as you, so long as the pay is right…"

"Trust me," assured Samedi, "your paycheck will be considerable…

"And even more so once my goal succeeds…" 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile…

EZ walked into the Red Cent.

Sally nervously looked at him as he sat down.

"Uh," she said. "Can I…"

EZ grabbed her by the hood and forced her into the chair.

"Orville!" he said. "Your waitress is taking her break, and I'm buying her lunch."

"Well, sure!" laughed the Bistro Butcher.

"But…" started Sally.

"No buts, Bunny Ears," said EZ, "I want a long talk with you."

He stared the Spellcaster in the face.

"I want to know everything you know about Natasha…"

Sally was mute.

"Sally…" said EZ, placing the spell cube on the table, "would a little present convince you?"

_"Where did you get that?"_ she screamed.

"The fact is, I have it…" he said. "And you don't. And I know you want it."

A tear fell down her face.

"Sally, you're Level Two," said EZ. "The only thing keeping you from living in some Kuriboh-nest and working a demeaning job is Orville.

"It might not last forever, you know…

"Of course, if you're brave enough to use this spell cube, it would cause a change that would improve your station… One that would be irreversible. You'd leave your Level Two form behind forever.

"But if you want to keep your mouth shut, I do know a Pikeru who'd love to have it…"

"NOOOO!" screamed Sally. "I'll talk! I'll talk! Please don't give it to a Pikeru!"

"I'm listening…" said EZ, crossing his arms.

Sally nervously sucked her pacifier for a few seconds.

"Before she attacked you, she came in here with her Lord…" she said. "Baron Samedi…"

EZ's eyes narrowed.

He'd heard of Samedi. As far as the Lords went, he wasn't the strongest nor the weakest – he was comfortably in the middle.

"He shook down Orville for information about… something, and then Natasha got restless. She left, saying that she was going to go look for you."

"What did you hear Orville tell him?" asked EZ.

"He wanted to know…" she said with a shiver.

She paused.

"Yes?" said EZ.

"He wanted to know if he knew when the Castle of Dark Illusions would appear next," she spat out.

"Castle of Dark Illusions?" asked EZ. "What in Dark World is that?"

"I don't know," said Sally. "But Orville told him it would be next Friday over the Low Level Fiend Quarters.

"Anyway, when Natasha left, I followed her, hoping to help you, and… Well, the rest you know…"

EZ rubbed his chin.

"Now, please…" she begged, looking at the cube.

"Hey, I said I would buy you lunch, and now I'm gonna!" he said.

_Although I don't know what I'm gonna do after that,_ he thought. _Maybe it's time for some plain old-fashioned police work…_

I like to think I haven't lost my touch…

**0**

**0**

**0**  
_**  
Coming up next:**_

EZ and Sonja research the mysterious Castle of Dark Illusions, and also, Baron Samedi arranges a meeting with EZ. Plus, that Makyura the Destructor will appear again, and so will Inspector Gonzap.

A lot of things happen, so stay tuned.


	6. A Feint Plan

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**CHAPTER SIX**

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**  
A Feint Plan**

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In the darkest parts of the Low Level Warrior Quarters, a Lady Ninja Yae ran through the streets…

…and she was in trouble.

"FREEZE!" shouted a voice behind her.

But LNY-011-C had no intention of freezing.

_No way some one-eyed freak of a cop is tossing me in the cooler…_ she thought.

"Come on, Eleven!" shouted Enone. "I know you're as tired of this as I am…"

She turned around and saw him behind her.

"You don't have much room left to run," said the Makyura, "and you're out of spell cubes, so how 'bout just making this easy?"

Eleven took a cube out of her pocket…

_All right, so you have one left…_ thought Enone, _and I think I know what it might be…_

He palmed a Rush Recklessly cube…

Eleven hit the cube with her thumb, and a large, star-shaped blade appeared in her hand.

_A Fuhma Shuriken,_ thought Enone, activating his own cube. _Makes sense…_

Fortunately, Eleven didn't see him activate it.

"Hey, copper!" she shouted. "Catch!"

She hurled the weapon…

Enone shielded himself with his wrist blades, and the Shuriken bounced off. The backlash threw Eleven backwards, and she crashed into a set of garbage cans.

Now she was _really_ in trouble, because that was _really_ her last cube.

She got up, stumbled a little, and tried to run again…

And then Enone tackled from behind, forcing her to the ground.

"Gotcha," he said, as she struggled.

He forced her arms behind her back and cuffed them together.

"All right," he said, "you have the right to remain silent…"

"I choose to wave that right, you dirty, ugly, smelly, piece of…" she started.

Enone groaned.

Ninjas… No wonder Yamoto hated them. 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Castle of Dark Illusions?" asked Sonja. "What in Dark World is that?"

"I have no idea," said EZ, closing a book. "My own books don't even make a reference to it. All I know is what Sally said – that it's going to appear over the Low Level Fiend Quarters on Friday…

"Five days from now…"

"You'd think a castle of some sort that wasn't there all the time was something that people would know about," said Sonja.

He thought for a minute.

"The Library Arcanium likely has information on it… But I've tried doing research in that place. It could literally take weeks to find the right book, and I don't have enough money to ask one of the Stern Mystics to find it for me…

"We'd best save that as the second option…"

"What's the first?" asked Sonja.

EZ put on his helmet.

"I'm guessing that if a Vampire Lord wanted info on this place, its nature has something to do with either money, politics, or Zombies. And with a name like 'Dark Illusions', the last one is most likely…

"So we'd best start at the Level Four Zombie Quarters. One of the tipsters there might know something."

"Lovely," said Sonja. "We get to go to Corpseville…" 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

When you first exited the Train Station in any part of the Zombie Living Quarters, it was like entering a tomb…

Unless you were a Zombie, this part of town wasn't a nice place. It was even darker than most parts of the Central Shadow Realm, and there was an unpleasant smell in the air.

Even worth, the architecture had a prevalent theme – that of death. Doors were shaped like coffins, fences were shaped like bones, and skulls predominated the décor.

Even worse, the Level Four section was only a stone's throw from the Low Level section, the most dangerous part of the whole city. The Ha Des Business Syndicate ruled that part of town, and unless you were on the Dark Ruler's good side, going there was suicidal. Even so, it wasn't uncommon to see a few Fiends in the Level Four part of town, and if you saw one, he was most likely working for Ha Des.

The Zombies who lived here knew of one rule for dealing with them:

"Mind your own business."

EZ and Sonja didn't know much what they were looking for, so it was best just to question everyone until they got a good lead.

Two Armored Zombies who were warming themselves around a fire seemed like the first place to start.

"Castle of Dark Illusions?" asked one of them. "Eh, I may have heard that mentioned once before, something in an old story…"

"What kind of story?" asked EZ.

"It's what you call an urban legend," said the rotting soldier. "Some people say that a Zombie that finds it will be turned into a different monster… Maybe a Fiend…

"I say that some smart alec made up the story to get the hopes up of gullible Zombies. A lot of them, myself included, would _love_ to be something different. In case you didn't realize it, we aren't the handsomest guys around…"

"You gotta take what life deals you," said EZ.

"Whatever," came the reply. "Look, there's a toadie who lives two blocks north who might point you in the right direction. Look for the box on the side of the road that looks like a treasure chest."

"Fine, thanks," said EZ. "And when was the last time you cleaned that armor, by the way?"

"Why bother?" asked the Armored Zombie, as they turned to leave. "It would just get soiled again in an hour!" 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ten minutes later.

A wooden treasure chest sat by the side of the road, but no houses were around here.

"So where is this toad?" asked Sonja.

"_Excuse_ me!" said a voice.

The treasure chest opened, and a fiendish-looking Zombie crawled halfway out.

"I am not a toad, for your information!" he snapped, in a bossy voice. "Last time I checked, I was a Yaranzo, thank you very much!"

"Uh…" said Sonja. "That chest doesn't look very roomy… I'm surprised you don't have claustrophobia."

"These guys are eccentric," said EZ. "They like enclosed spaces."

"Are you two going to waste my time all day, or are you going to tell me what the problem is?" asked the Yaranzo. "Are you selling something? Taking donations? Looking for recruits for The Church of the Gods like that annoying Hysteric Angel that came by here yesterday? Boy, that guy got on my nerves…"

"We're looking for information on the Castle of Dark Illusions," moaned EZ.

"I see…" said the Yaranzo. "Well… I might know something, but what I know depends on a lot of factors…"

EZ rolled his eyes. He knew what that meant…

He held up a five-dollar bill.

"That's a good factor!" said the Zombie, taking it. "I don't know what's actually in the Castle, but I know it's real. I've actually seen it with my own eyes. It's a very creepy, dark place that actually floats in the air! Only at night…

"AND, I know one Zombie who's actually been in the place!"

He looked back and forth. His voice sank to a whisper.

"Her number is SH-105-A, and she runs the perfume shop five blocks over on Mortem Street. Go ask her… Don't be scared by her appearance, because she's a sweet lady!"

He started to close the chest.

"Wait!" said EZ.

"Yes?" said the Yaranzo.

"Did you specifically say SH-105-A?" he asked.

"Yes," he replied.

Then he shut the lid.

"Is there a problem?" asked Sonja.

EZ shook his head.

"I've dealt with _her_ before…" he grumbled. 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The sign above the shop said "Perfume and Cologne" and bore the picture of a skull.

"Why would this part of town need a perfume store?" asked Sonja.

EZ took a spell cube out of his pocket.

"Believe it or not, some Zombies, mostly vampires, like to smell nice," he answered. "And the lady who runs this place is far from 'sweet'…"

He activated the Legendary Sword.

"But don't let her scare you," he added. "You're stronger than she is, and so long as I have this sword, so am I…"

They walked in.

The place looked like a cross between a cosmetics store and an occult store. Bottles of perfume lined the shelves, along with lit candles shaped like skulls. A counter was at the far end, and a translucent curtain was behind it.

"Five, get out here," shouted EZ. "I want a word with you…"

The response was a hissing noise, like a nest of vipers… A shadowy shape appeared behind the curtain…

"What kind of…" said Sonja.

A scaly, green hand with long nails slowly moved the curtain aside…

Sonja drew back as the creature stepped out. She had green skin, and her hair was a mass of swarming snakes.

She was dressed in a long, violet cloak.

Sonja drew her own sword.

"You could have told me we were dealing with a Snake Hair!" she exclaimed to EZ.

"Heh, heh, heh," laughed the Zombie. "What's wrong, darling, did I scare you?"

"You didn't scare me, Five," said EZ. "Believe me, I've seen scarier than you. Uglier… not much, but definitely scarier."

Five gritted her teeth, bearing fangs.

Then she smiled again.

"Still mad because I was acquitted, huh?" she asked.

"Zaborg didn't really have a choice," said EZ. "You had the best alibi that you could possibly have had…"

"But you know what, Five? I still stick to my theory that it wasn't you who made that alibi, but that it was someone disguised as you – maybe a Physical Double, maybe some Copycat, maybe someone with any number of illegal spell cubes…"

"I don't know what you're talking about…" she said.

"I'm lost…" said Sonja.

EZ stared at the Snake Hair.

"She was arrested for murder five years ago," he answered, "but like I said, she had the best alibi at the time that monster could have…

"She was in jail.

"The night before the murder, she had apparently turned herself in for a burglary she was suspected of, but she was released when it was revealed that the real burglar was someone else.

"So when she was the prime suspect for murder, the whole police department could vouch and say she was in a holding cell at the time!

"And I say it was never her in that cell at all…"

"And just what are you going to do about it Sergeant?" she purred. "You aren't even a cop anymore…"

"I need information on the Castle of Dark Illusions," said EZ, "and I heard you were there…"

The Snake Hair grinned.

"I was," she said, "it was a wonderful place, and I'm not telling you anything!"

"Listen Five…" growled EZ, "maybe I we can work something out…"

Then he grabbed her by the hair, and pulled her close.

"Now, let's chat…" he said, taking a spell cube out of his pocket.

"See this?" he said. "It's called Goblin's Secret Remedy, a healing spell…"

Five's eyes opened in fear…

"You know the rumor about people like you and healing spells?" asked EZ. "There's a rumor that these spells backfire on Zombies, causing cell death and incredible pain. No one is sure if that's true or not…

"See, no is sure because no one has yet found a Zombie who's willing to test it. So, maybe we can see if the rumor is true right now, unless you want to start telling… OOWW!"

He let go of her. His hand was bleeding from where she had bit him.

"Okay, Five," he growled, "punching and kicking I can handle, but _biting_?"

The Snake Hair quickly pulled a cube out of her robe, and a Sword of Deep Seated appeared in her hand.

_Damn…_ thought EZ.

He tried to raise the Legendary Sword, but she got the jump on him, and stabbed between the seems in his armor. He fell over.

Times like this he very glad he had not been born a normal Celtic Guardian. Certainly, the special powers of his species had just saved his life…

But the shock had stunned him, and Sonja had no such powers…

As he looked up, he saw Sonja facing the Zombie.

"All right gruesome…" said Sonja. "Care to try that on me?"

The Snake Hair grinned wickedly…

Then EZ noticed a trap cube behind Sonja's back… One that he couldn't for the life of him identify…

As Five charged, Sonja threw it on the ground…

And then a swarm of arrows shot at the Zombie. She screamed…

Sonja wasted no time. She made a pose with her sword…

"Amazon blade!" she shouted.

She slashed with the weapon, and the wicked Zombie screamed again.

She toppled over, and her body shattered on impact.

EZ groaned and got up.

"What… in the world… was that?" he asked, pointing to the burnt-out cube.

"Amazoness Archers," answered Sonja, catching her breath.

EZ looked at her.

"Uh… never heard of that one…" he said.

"Anyone caught in the path of the effect is both weakened, and infuriated so much that they want to kill whoever uses it. It made her a lot easier to take care of."

"Remind me to be behind you the next time you use one," he said. "Where can I get one like that?"

"Wouldn't do you much good," she said. "It only works for Amazons."

"Well," muttered EZ. "Good riddance. Let's look around. Maybe she kept a journal or something…" 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As dirty as the Level Four Zombie Quarters were, the Low Level ones looked worse. And as already said, they were dangerous. If you weren't a Fiend or otherwise an ally of Ha Des, the residents would likely kill you…

…if you were lucky.

Baron Samedi didn't like coming here, but seeing as Ha Des was one of his most important financers for his current project, he had to every now and then.

As he walked down the street, a dirty newspaper blew against him…

"Ugh," he muttered. "Every time I come here, I have to take five showers when I get home… How can he live in such squalor?"

He went up to a nondescript door, and without even knocking, opened it.

Once inside, he frowned. The place stank of cigarette smoke, another thing he didn't like.

It was a billiards hall, and aside from the smell of used cigarettes, it was much cleaner than the street outside.

At one table, two Opticlopses were playing pool (how they managed to aim a cue with one eye, Samedi didn't know). At a table, two Lesser Fiends were playing cards. (One of them was clearly fleecing the other for a lot.) A Beast of Talwar stood silently by a door in the back.

Everyone except the Beast turned and took notice when Samedi entered.

"I'm here to see your boss," said the Vampire Lord.

"Oh really?" said a Lesser Fiend. "And just what makes you think he wants to waste time with you?"

An Opticlops glared at him.

"I know you…" he said. "Samedi, right? My brother was arrested working for you!"

"Uhm…" said Samedi. "Think I remember him… Tattoo of a snake on his arm, right?"

"Yeah!" growled the Fiend.

"So how did the court treat him?" asked Samedi.

"He got ten years!" shouted the Opticlops.

"Serves him right," said Samedi. "He was a lazy slob who couldn't do anything right. And he always talked with his mouth full… I hate that!"

The Fiend glared at him.

"And I see his next of kin is just as much a fathead," he added.

"Fathead?" yelled the Fiend. "That did it! I'm gonna take this pool cue, and stick it where the sun don't…"

"No, Twenty-Eight," said a demanding voice, "you will NOT!"

The Fiends turned, and saw the Dark Ruler standing in the previously closed doorway, crossing his arms and frowning.

"Baron Samedi is indeed here on my behalf…" said Ha Des.

His eyes glowed.

"I was… just joking boss…" muttered the Opticlops, trembling. "You know me…"

"And for that matter," said Ha Des, "he'll call you anything he wants… fathead."

"Yeah, that's me…" stuttered the Opticlops. "I'm a _real_ fathead…"

Samedi glared at the Opticlops as he walked past him.

"Uh… nice cape, by the way…" said the Opticlops.

Samedi walked into the office that was behind the door.

"So hard to find good help these days," muttered the Dark Ruler.

Samedi shook his head as he looked around. Ha Des had a macabre taste in décor. Almost all his furniture was something that was once alive. Some of it was still alive.

The desk that predominated the center of the room had been made from a Hieracosphinx, while the chair had been made from a Jigen Bakudan. A lot of carpeting was in the room – rugs made from the skins of an All Seeing White Tiger and a Mother Grizzly.

Samedi noticed that Ha Des had gotten a new one. In the corner was a Cure Mermaid on a pedestal, a cheery smile frozen on her face.

She likely hadn't been very happy when he had done it to her.

"Like it?" asked Ha Des. "It took me forever to find a taxidermist who could handle someone that big…"

He poured something that looked like red liquid into glasses. Samedi kept looking at the Mermaid for a few seconds.

"So, any progress?" asked Ha Des.

"Lots," said Samedi. "The Castle will appear soon, and my new henchman and I are ready to find what we need.

"In the meantime… A few things have come up. It might be a good idea to up security even more…"

"Hmmm…" muttered the Dark Ruler.

"Well, if you need something that can't do much more than guard, I have something lying around… If you don't mind using a Machine…"

"A Machine?" asked Samedi. "I've had bad luck with them…"

"Well," said Ha Des. "Don't go spreading this around, but last year, this thing manifested in the Machine Habitation. It was powerful, and virtually mindless. A lot of Machines were killed until the Machine King himself went to confront it. Surprisingly, it listened to him… I guess he has a way with these things.

"Anyway, he tried hard to keep it a secret, but my spies found out about it, and used a Brain Jacker to steal it.

"The Machine King has everyone who works for him looking for it, but he hasn't alerted the police. He's afraid that telling everyone that this thing is loose will cause… panic.

"Anyway, you're welcome to it if you want… I haven't really found a use for it yet."

"Well, I'll see," said Samedi. "There might be another problem. This former cop is bothering me, and he's getting a little too smart."

Ha Des shrugged.

"Samedi," he said, "when a cop or a reporter gives me a hard time, my first solution is to buy him."

"This guy might be hard to buy," answered Samedi.

"Then my second solution is to rub him out," said Ha Des.

"I'm not really sure I could do that either," answered Samedi. "This guy… He's not like others…"

Ha Des shrugged again.

"Well, you'd best do something," said the Dark Ruler. "After all, I'm well aware of the fate of your mentor…"

He sipped from the glass.

"…as well as who led him to that fate…" 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Nothing…" said EZ in disgust. "Not even an inventory list…"

"I'm sorry I killed her…" muttered Sonja.

"She wouldn't have told us anything," said EZ. "She was stubborn… When Zaborg acquitted her, she even had the gall to insult his fashion sense. She said she had seen Dream Clowns with better wardrobes.

"And we're no closer to finding the Castle of Dark Illusions than we were before…"

"Oh?" said a sly voice. "Maybe you're a little closer…"

They turned towards the doorway, and saw a figure there…

It was a handsome creature, dressed in an expensive looking vest, shirt, and trousers. He had a pencil-thin moustache, and neatly-combed hair.

His left hand was in his pocket, and he casually tossed a coin with his right.

"Who…?" asked Sonja.

"He's a Sand Gambler," said EZ. "But don't worry, he's hardly a threat…"

He walked up to the Gambler.

"You're pretty far from the Spellcaster Living Quarters, mister…"

"Call me Seven," said the Spellcaster. "It's a lucky number, isn't it? I was fortunate to have gotten it.

"Speaking of numbers, I know what yours is, OCG E-013-Z. You know, a lot of people think that thirteen is unlucky…"

He grabbed the coin and put it in his pocket.

"I beg to differ, myself. Thirteen isn't such a bad number. I mean, when you go into a bread shop and ask for a dozen rolls, they give you an extra one for free. They call it a baker's dozen. Is that bad luck? I_ like_ getting things for free!

"Anyway, I overheard you talking about the Castle of Dark Illusions, and if you want to know the 'dark' about it, so to speak, you're talking to the right monster…"

"How do you know so much?" asked EZ.

"Well," said Seven, putting both his hands in his pockets. "Let me tell you a short story. Six months ago, I was tossing dice in a gambling parlor in the Spellcaster Quarters, when in walks… Well, a very high-level, very important monster who will go nameless. Why he – or maybe she, I can't even reveal that – was there, I can only guess he wanted to spend some time with the common folk.

"And he started to play cards. But it seemed he wasn't very lucky. He just couldn't win, and started to lose money. That, of course, led him to making even larger bets to get it back. Eventually, he went totally tap-city.

"Now, this guy realized that if word got out that he was beaten at cards repeatedly by a bunch of 'commoners' as he called us, well, he'd be humiliated! And he couldn't buy our silence, because he had no money left.

"So he offered us a deal. If we would keep our mouths shut that he had been there, he'd tell us a dark secret that only a few monsters knew about.

"We agreed to that, and basically that's why I can't tell you who this guy was.

"But anyway, the secret he told us was about the Castle of Dark Illusions…

"It's a place so scary that if you saw it, you would be appalled!"

"So, are you going to tell us the details?" asked Sonja.

"Not right away," muttered EZ. "Sand Gamblers don't give away anything unless you win it by gambling for it. That includes information."

Seven nodded.

Sonja pulled EZ backwards.

"EZ, why don't we just rough him up like you tried to do with that Zombie?" she whispered. "You don't have to play his game…"

EZ rubbed his chin. It was a hard choice.

Playing cards with one of these Spellcasters was something to avoid. They weren't called Sand Gamblers for nothing.

It wouldn't be hard to force it out of him – this guy was no match for him…

But he _did_ know the stories… Stories that claimed that a terrible curse of bad luck would befall anyone who harmed a Sand Gambler. Rumor was that Breaker had killed one, just one hour before he was finally arrested.

"All right, buddy," said EZ, "I'm not too shabby at cards myself. So I'll consent to one round of blackjack if that's enough."

He took out his wallet.

"How much do you want me to wager?"

"Money's of no interest to me," said Seven. "But I'm always looking for spells and traps I could use…"

EZ frowned and went to his pouch.

Sand Gamblers were only Level Three, but they tended to have a lot more money and more useful items than other Level Three monsters. They were good at games of chance, and could make a lot from an evening playing cards.

The key word there was ones "that he could use", and that was a problem. Almost all the ones that EZ had were combat oriented, and Gamblers never got into a fight. They always tried to flee if trouble started; they were just no good at fighting.

There was only one cube he had that the guy could ever use…

_Elfour,_ he thought, _I swear to you, I won't lose it…_

He held up the trap cube.

Seven raised an eyebrow.

"Interesting," said the Gambler. "But Sergeant, that cube is worth a lot more than what I'm offering. What would people think of me if I talked someone into such an unfair wager?"

"I don't have anything else that you'd accept," asked EZ.

"Hmmm…" said Seven. "Well, there's another way to make it fair then…"

He reached into his pocket and took out another trap cube.

"I'll wager my information and this cube against your cube," he said. "Deal?"

"All right, fine," said EZ.

He walked behind the counter.

Seven took a deck of cards out of his pocket and started to shuffle quickly.

"I'm a little confused," said Sonja. "Just how does blackjack work, anyway?"

"Whoever gets the hand closest to, but not over twenty-one, wins," said EZ. "I suppose you'll deal?"

"Indeed," said Seven. "If you'll just cut the deck…"

EZ cut.

"All right," said Seven.

He tossed two cards to EZ, and then two to himself.

Seven looked at them.

"I'll leave this card concealed," he said, placing a card facedown on the counter.

"And I'll reveal this one."

He flipped up the other card.

It was a four of spades.

"Now, I believe I'll hit…"

EZ stared at him as he took another card from the deck.

That could be good news or bad news. The dealer in blackjack was required to "hit" (draw) until his hand was at least seventeen. If his current hand was sixteen, that could lead to him going over and losing… But if it was less, it could lead to him getting a better hand.

Seven looked at the card and placed it facedown on the table.

"Stick," he said.

EZ looked at his two cards.

"Sergeant, you have quite a poker face!" said Seven with a grin.

EZ started at him.

He touched the trap cube next to him…

_Help me out, Elfour…_ he thought.

"Hit me," he finally said.

Seven tossed him a card.

EZ looked at it.

He placed the three cards facedown on the table.

"Stick," he said.

"Very well," said Seven.

He slowly turned over one of his cards.

Queen of Hearts.

"How much is that worth?" asked Sonja.

"Ten," answered EZ.

Seven turned over his third card.

Five of diamonds.

"Nineteen?" gasped Sonja.

"Indeed," said Seven. "So, Sergeant, can you beat that?"

EZ stared at him.

He flipped his first card.

Two of diamonds.

He flipped the second.

Seven of clubs.

He flipped the third.

Ace of Spades.

"Ace?" said Sonja.

"Aces are worth one or eleven," said EZ, "whichever makes the better hand. Meaning a total of… twenty!"

"Heh, heh," said Seven. "Well, guess I can't win them all…"

He put the cards away.

"All right, you win," he said, "pull up a chair and I'll tell you – this might take a while…"

They found some cushioned chairs, and Seven took out his coin. He casually started to toss it again.

"The Castle of Dark Illusions," he said, "is a structure that was built in Dark World, by the Dark World Fiends. It was one of the minor structures in their capital, before the Archfiends seized control.

"To build the place, they bound the souls of several slaves who happened to be Zombies into the brickwork and mortar. As a result, the structure gained a collective intelligence, and a pseudo life.

"Technically, it's a Fiend, but it remembers its former lives, and exudes unholy energy that invigorates and strengthens Zombies.

"The Dark World Fiends eventually abandoned the Castle, and it got lonely. At times, when the magical flux in the Shadow Realm is just right, it can transport itself out of Dark World, and into the mortal realm. It always chooses places that are dark and sinister, like the Fiend and Zombie Quarters, but even if it chose another place, it wouldn't make much difference, because only Fiends and Zombies can see it.

"As to what's inside it, rumors exist of all sorts of artifacts that Zombies would love to have – but any visitor has to tread with caution…

"See, sometimes a native of Dark World gets curious and explores the Castle, and when it comes to Central Shadow Realm, that native is still with it. The creature never leaves the Castle, because if he does, it might go back to Dark World without him!"

"So…" gulped Sonja. "There might be Dark World Fiends inside?"

Seven nodded.

"Or maybe even Archfiends," he added. "But… The chances of that happening aren't likely… And I don't even know how you're going to get in. You can't see it, heck, I can't see it, and you can't enter a castle that you can't see, can you?"

The Sand Gambler got up.

"I believe this is yours," he said, tossing the trap cube to EZ.

EZ looked at it.

_Well, this is risky, but powerful,_ he thought.

"Anyway," said Seven, giving the coin one more toss, "if you're ever in the Spellcaster part of town, look me up, eh?"

He turned to leave. 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"He had a point," said Sonja, as they arrived back in his office. "How can we enter the place if we can't see it?"

EZ went to his closet.

"We have to do something that might be incredibly unpleasant…" he said.

He took out two trap cubes and tossed one to her.

Sonja looked at it.

"DNA Surgery?" she gasped. "You're kidding, right?"

"There's no other way," said EZ. "If only Fiends or Zombies can see that place, we have to become one of those Types. But don't worry, it won't be permanent…"

Sonja clutched her head.

"Ever since I met you, Sergeant," she said, "my life has been… complex…"

She looked at the cube.

"I'm willing to be a Fiend, but not a Zombie!" she snapped.

"My sentiments exact…" started EZ.

He noticed an envelope that had been slid under his door.

He picked it up, and saw it was sealed with wax, stamped with a signet ring.

"Class," he said, breaking the seal.

He opened the letter and read.

_Dear Sergeant,_

You likely want answers, and I'm willing to give them. We don't have to be enemies – we have more in common than you think.

I request that you meet me for dinner at the Club R. We can discuss things there. Simply show this invitation to the doorman, and he will admit you.

Sincerely,

Baron Samedi

"OOH!" shouted Sonja. "The Club R… That place is a disgrace. The major draw is the waitresses dressed in skimpy clothing. And the worst part is, since it opened, a lot of Amazons just swallowed their pride and went to work there because it paid so much…"

"Most jobs in the Council Lower Quarters do…" answered EZ.

"Are you gonna go?" asked Sonja.

"I might…" said EZ.

"Well not me!" yelled Sonja. "The last thing I want is to see one of my sisters wearing one of those indecent outfits!"

She turned and crossed her arms.

_More indecent than what they normally wear?_ asked EZ. _That's scary…_

He looked at the invitation.

_It seems stupid at first,_ he thought. _I mean, accept a dinner invitation from a vampire?_

Well…

At least he'll have something else to eat besides me… 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ask anyone where the best place in the city was to eat, and they'd say it was the Forbidden Palace, the jewel of the Council Lower Quarters.

The waiting list for reservations there was years in advance, although rich monsters could afford to wait, being immortal. The food was to die for, and the Harpie Lady Sisters always got the center of attention when they were on stage. Creatures from the Higher Plane sometimes came to the Central Shadow Realm to enjoy the place – Elemental Mistress Doriado was a frequent visitor.

But the Forbidden Palace was only the most famous place in that part of town. If you didn't feel like waiting, there were many more restaurants and clubs in the Council Lower Quarters, all of high class.

Above the door of the Club R was a Red Archery Girl – not a statue, but a live one, who smiled sweetly and waved to everyone who approached the door.

Rumor had it that she also had a Megamorph cube, and if anyone tried to enter without the doorman's approval, she'd activate it and skewer him with her bow.

The probable reason for that security feature was because the doorman himself wasn't too formidable. Sure, a Destroyer Golem looked tough, but he was only slightly stronger than EZ was.

EZ showed him the letter. The Golem nodded, and opened the door.

Inside, music played in the spacious room. At a bar, an Illusory Gentleman mixed fancy drinks.

Sonja hadn't been kidding. He saw three waitresses currently, a Fire Princess, Water Omotics, and a two-in-one Gemini Elf, and their clothes had been traded in for string bikinis that left little to the imagination.

"Well, don't just stand there like a Woodborg Inpachi," said a voice.

He noticed the Vampire Lord sitting at a table, drinking something from a short glass.

EZ cautiously stepped forward, and walked to the table.

"Glad we could finally meet, Sergeant," said Samedi. "I've wanted to have this talk for a while…"

"Is that…" said EZ, pointing to the glass.

Samedi chuckled.

"It's a Bloody Mary," answered Samedi. "I'm not a barbarian, Sergeant. True, I have to kill to survive… But the ones I kill are killers themselves."

He snapped his fingers, and the Gemini Elves came up to the table.

"Right," said EZ. "Gin and tonic, please."

EZ watched as they turned to place the order. The long tail that connected them together lurked quietly behind them.

He turned back to Samedi.

"Pardon me if I'm suspicious about that," he said. "Your girlfriend tried to make a snack out of my neck…"

"Yes, Natasha simply won't behave these days," said Samedi, sadly. "She won't bother you again – not unless she wants to be punished again. After she got free of that Gravity Bind, I punished her severely, and forced her to spend the night pinned down by another one."

EZ looked at him.

"Well, good," he said. "Want to tell me what the deal is with the Castle?"

"I'm curious," answered Samedi.

EZ stared at him.

"Curious?" he said. "Right."

"Sergeant, you likely think I'm planning something sinister," said Samedi. "Well, I'd have a hard time harming someone like you…"

"And just why is that?" asked EZ.

"You're an Obnoxious Celtic Guardian, Sergeant…" answered Samedi.

The Vampire Lord looked at him.

"I see a lot of myself in you… You're exactly the species I once was."

EZ was dumbstruck.

"You… weren't always a Vampire Lord?" he asked.

Samedi pushed the empty glass aside.

He motioned to the Water Omotics.

"Dear, can you get us a plate of mozzarella sticks here?" he asked.

She nodded, and left.

"Yes, anyway," he continued, "Vampire Lords don't come into being in the same way most monsters are. No one ever starts out as one.

"You see, when a Lord feeds on a victim, if the victim dies, he can either just do nothing – usually the case – or he can raise the victim as a Red Moon Baby. He usually does this when he's looking for a student or an heir.

"Anyway, the 'baby' serves the creator, and after a hundred years, or when the creator dies – whichever comes first – it transforms into a new Lord.

"As I said, I was an Obnoxious Celtic Guardian until about one hundred and eighty years ago, when I ran afoul of a Lord named Duke Moloch.

"Yes, he wasn't a very pleasant mentor, but I survived. After a hundred years, I evolved, but I stayed with him until…

"Well, until something happened. Suffice to say he's dead now. 

"Sergeant, you might think my motives are evil, but unless you consider trying to do all you can to gain financial clout evil, you're looking in the wrong place."

"So you're trying to tell me that you aren't evil, you're just selfish," said EZ.

Samedi looked at him.

"If looking out for my own interests makes me 'selfish'," replied Samedi, "I'll admit it. But 'selfish' is such a nasty term…"

EZ got up.

"It was nice talking to you, _Baron_ Samedi," he said, "although personally, I doubt you're a real baron…"

He stormed out the door.

"Well, I'm not…" muttered Samedi. "But he didn't have to be so mean about it…" 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As EZ started walking to where he had agreed to meet with Sonja, his mind was confused.

That hadn't cleared much up. He had a feeling that the vampire wanted him to believe exactly what he currently believed – but even that made him doubt his feelings.

He knew that Samedi was likely a liar. But then, Samedi likely knew he was on to him. But then, EZ knew that Samedi knew that he was on to him… But then, Samedi knew that EZ knew that Samedi knew that he was on to him…

And that gave EZ a headache, and brought him back to the beginning.

He did have one clue – the dead mentor that Samedi had mentioned, Duke Moloch. EZ had never heard of him…

If anyone knew the details about a Vampire Lord's death… 

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Lady Ninja Yae called Eleven sat in a chair in front of a table in an interrogation room, with her hands cuffed in front of her. In front of her was Gonzap, while Enone stood in the background. Two Mighty Guards stood by the door.

"Give it up, Inspector," she said, slyly, "you've got nothing on me."

"On the contrary," said Gonzap, rather annoyed, "I've 'got you', as you put it, with four crates of contraband Statue of the Wicked cubes with intent to sell! And given what he told me…"

He motioned to Enone.

"…we can add resisting arrest and assaulting an officer to that! And I'm sure that we'll find a lot more pretty soon!"

He slammed his hands on the table.

"Eleven," he said, "I've had what you might call a 'bad day'. Your future doesn't look very bright right now, but I'll tell you what… If you tell us who your supplier is, and I might recommend that Thestalos go easy on you…"

"Go kiss a Byser Shock," she replied.

"You are quickly getting on my nerves…" said Gonzap.

"You think you're so tough," said Eleven. "If my hands were free and I had my weapon, I'd give you such a sticking!"

Gonzap glared at her…

"Really?" he said.

He took a set of keys out of his armor, reached over, and quickly undid the handcuffs.

Then he placed a long dagger in front of her.

"Your hands are free, and your weapon is right there," he said, crossing his arms. 

"Uh, boss…" said Enone.

Eleven glared at him…

She grabbed the dagger, and leapt at him.

A minute later, his fist slammed into her face.

Eleven lay on the floor, groaning…

Gonzap picked up the handcuffs, and secured her hands behind her back this time.

"Don't make threats that you can't keep," said Gonzap.

Eleven moaned…

Gonzap turned to the Mighty Guards.

"Bring this Ninja to a holding cell," he said. "We'll see if she's willing to talk tomorrow."

As Eleven was dragged away, Enone rubbed his head.

"Uh, boss?" he asked. "You sure Dupin would approve of that?"

"Don't you know the story of what happened when Breaker was arrested?" asked Gonzap. "He made a similar threat to Dupin, and Dupin did the exact same thing.

"With some of these nuts, actions speak louder than words…"

At that, he almost bumped into EZ and Sonja.

"EZ?" he said, startled. "What do you want?"

"What's with you?" asked EZ. "Did someone steal your donut this morning?"

"YES!" shouted Gonzap. "Actually, someone did! But I have about four more reasons to be angry right now! One of which is the fact that I'm working late for the fourth night in a row…"

"Look, I just have a question," said EZ. "Do you know anything about a Vampire Lord named Duke Moloch?"

Gonzap looked at the two of them.

Then he grabbed both EZ and Sonja, and shoved them into the interrogation room.

"Enone!" he told the Makyura. "Tell everyone that I am not to be disturbed by anything less than a Class Six emergency!"

He went in, and slammed the door shut.

"Now what was that about?" asked Enone.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

You're probably wondering as much as Enone what that was all about.

More of Samedi's history is revealed, as Gonzap tells of one of the CSRPD's past victories. And EZ and Sonja finally find the Castle of Dark Illusions. It's all coming up in "Skull Lair", coming soon.


	7. Skull Lair

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**CHAPTER SEVEN **

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Skull Lair

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In all the years that the Obnoxious Celtic Guardian had known the one who he had once called his boss, he had known him as a calm, collected guy. Gonzap got upset every once in a while, but true anger was rare.

The Amazoness Paladin at his side didn't know Gonzap at all, but she could tell that something had clicked inside the Mystic Swordsman.

Gonzap tried the door, as if he wasn't exactly sure it was locked.

"EZ…" he said, leaning against the wall. "You were a good cop, but you were never a guy who would listen to advice, or play things the safe way…

"But I really don't want to see you killed, so I'm going to hope that this is going to talk you out of whatever you're up to."

He paused.

"I assume that if you want to know the deal with Duke Moloch, you've gotten involved with someone connected to him…"

EZ started to say something, but Gonzap stopped him.

"Don't tell me!" answered Gonzap. "Whoever this guy is, no good can come from him!

"You want to know what the deal was with Moloch?

"The short version is, he was a crazy Vampire Lord who caused the city a lot of grief, and came to a bad end…

"However, since the short version won't deter you both much, I'm gonna tell you both the _long_ version. But one thing first…"

His hand slammed down on the table.

"Swear on Exodia's name that what is said in this room will stay here, because if Dupin knew I was telling this to a civilian, even a former cop, he'll have my scalp."

There was a pause.

"I swear…" said EZ.

"Yeah…" replied Sonja.

Gonzap paused.

"You may have heard of the Temple of Kings?" asked Gonzap.

There was another pause.

"Yeah…" said EZ. "It's a mysterious structure halfway between the city and the Temple of the Legendary Dragons… Some folks say it's cursed…"

"It once was…" said Gonzap. "About eighty years ago, when I was just a Mystic Swordsman LV 4, someone discovered the secret. He used two powerful spell cubes of his own design to wake up a creature that was entombed there – we later learned from a journal that its name was Mythical Beast Serket.

"Imagine if you will, a giant… scorpion, with big claws, big teeth, and an overall appearance that was big and ugly, and you have an accurate description."

"Some sort of Fiend?" asked EZ.

Gonzap grinned.

"That was the craziest part," he replied. "Someone took the time to read its aura, and found out that it was actually a Fairy of some sort. Once the mess was over with and that was made known, Messiena publicly said that it was _not_ a native of the Higher Plane, nor was it related to her or any Fairy she knew of. When asked to explain where it came from, she said it was likely a freak of nature.

"Anyway, the guy who set it free dumped it in the middle of the Level Four Spellcaster Quarters, and likely used some spell that made it angry. The thing went on a rampage, attacking and literally eating alive any poor monster it could catch. Even worse, with every victim, it got stronger…

"Not to mention the fact that it was incredibly strong to start out. By the time we stopped it, it must have been as powerful as the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon was."

EZ gulped.

"But, we did stop it," continued Gonzap. "See, the thing's mental capacity could best be described as mindless. A Command Knight who I worked with goaded it into chasing her, and while it did, she turned on every spell cube she had…

"And then she activated a Mage Power cube, and blew it into bug guts."

He paused and hung his head.

"Clever… She's dead now, but that's a whole different story.

"But it didn't stop there. We weren't going to stop until we found who the wise guy was who had dumped it into the city. After all, we were talking no less than eighteen murders.

"To our surprise, we got an anonymous letter naming Duke Moloch, as well the original blueprints for the two spells that had awakened Serket, with his handwriting and signatures on them. Normally, the Lords are hard to get to by the cops, but this was enough to get at least a search warrant.

"Moloch said we could search his place as much as we wanted, and that's when it really got strange. We have a feeling that he told someone to destroy the incriminating evidence… Instead, that person just moved it to a place where it could be easily found. And we found it.

"We don't know who betrayed him, but we had him.

"Of course, we didn't know why he did it, and when Mobius asked him why, he said…

"'I needed the laughs'."

Gonzap paused.

"I assume he was executed…" muttered EZ.

"No, worse," answered Gonzap.

EZ took notice of this.

"Worse?" he said, startled. "You mean he was…"

"Yeah…" said Gonzap. "Mobius had him sent to never-never land."

Gonzap walked to the door again, and again made sure it was locked.

"But…" he continued. "A month after that… Dupin got something in the mail… A package with no return address which for all intents and purposes looked like Moloch's journal…

"If it was, Moloch didn't do it for laughs…

"His goal the whole time was to capture the thing once it had become strong enough, and then use a Mystik Wok…"

Now both EZ and Sonja looked scared…

A Mystik Wok (most assumed that whoever had named it had a sick sense of humor) was a horrible spell cube that could get a monster a very long prison sentence for even owning. It killed another monster (who always had to be tied up and helpless for it to work) and whoever used the cube gained the victim's life energy.

"Moloch hoped…" continued Gonzap. "That by consuming such power… He could… evolve. Into something called the…

"…Vampire Genesis."

EZ and Sonja gave him a hard look.

"Okay, you lost me…" said Sonja.

"I only know bits and pieces," said Gonzap. "According to legend, all Vampire Lords have the potential to evolve into this powerful creature. It's the traditional goal of the Vampire Lords, but most of them just think it's only a fairy tale designed to keep them from cooperating.

"According to the legend, only one Genesis can exist at one time. If it's even possible – if it is, I don't know – it's never known to have happened."

He slammed his hand down on the table again.

"This is the sort of thing that Vampire Lords do, EZ!" he shouted. "The best advice I can give you for dealing with one, is just _don't_! You'll live to regret it!"

"Well, you see, boss…" said EZ.

He paused.

Well what was he going to tell Gonzap?

Sure, Samedi was likely up to know good… Sure, his bride had tried to kill him once…

But he needed something concrete before he could bring the police down on him.

"Thanks for the advice, old friend," said EZ, "but the two of us can handle this."

"Right…" said Gonzap. "I'm going to hope that the next body I have to identify that has been mysteriously drained of blood won't be yours!"

He opened the door.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Fifteen minutes later, on the train ride back to the Warrior Quarters.

"Uh, EZ?" asked Sonja. "What can be _worse_ that being executed?"

EZ gave a long stare, and then shuddered.

"Something that's done very rarely," he answered. "When the most heinous crimes are committed, and they have to make sure the condemned will never trouble the Central Shadow Realm again…"

He took a deep breath.

"The condemned is… locked in a Different Dimension Capsule and shot into the Void. Then the Capsule is destroyed, making sure it's a one-way trip…"

"Great Slifer…" gasped Sonja.

"It's the fate that's waiting for the Dark Scorpions if they're ever caught," continued EZ, "not that they ever likely will be…"

"The Void…" muttered Sonja.

"A scary place…" said EZ, nodding in agreement. "In the past, some anarchists and madmen have created assassins called D.D. Warriors to take out foes – their very touch meant doom. Some folks say that Ha Des booby traps his private quarters with trap cubes called Bottomless Trap Holes that send a victim directly to the Void – illegal, but he hardly cares."

Sonja was quiet for a minute.

"Uh… is their any way to come back from that place?" she asked.

"Well, there's a couple of spell cubes and trap cubes that can get things back from there, but all of them were outlawed because they were unsafe. Unless the calculations were exactly right, they could bring back something you didn't want…

"And folks heard legends of things they could summon to the Shadow Realm from the Void… Like Gren Maju Da Eiza…"

"What's a…" started Sonja.

"Better you didn't know," interrupted EZ. "Anyway, whatever Samedi's plans are, we're still going through with ours…"

"Low Level Fiend Quarters on Friday?" she asked.

"Yep…" he said.

The train pulled into the stop.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

But before Friday night, came Thursday night.

And Baron Samedi was busy.

In a sinister looking alchemy lab, a very large beaker full of violet liquid was being heated over a living Hinotama Soul. Samedi stirred the stuff, and it turned blue…

Then, green, then yellow, then orange, then red, and finally clear.

"That do it?" asked Natasha.

"Well, only one way to find out…"

There was a knock on the door.

"Enter," said Samedi.

The Dokurorider poked his head in.

"Boss," said Zero-Five. "The Ice King is here – says he wants a chat."

Samedi sighed an annoyed sigh.

"I trust you've frisked him for spells and traps?" he asked.

"Yeah…"

"Tell him to come in here…" answered Samedi with a frown.

He motioned to the Pyro. It hopped down off the counter, and scurried through a hole in the wall. Samedi took the beaker and put it aside to cool.

"The Ice King" was what other Lords called Frost when that Lord wasn't around. Frost was one of the more powerful Lords, and he looked down on those whom he didn't respect – which included almost all of them except his "brother", Deacon (created by the same predecessor).

After about five minutes, Zero-Five opened the door, and the older Lord came in. He made a slight smirk at his surroundings.

"Still playing with the chemistry set, Samedi?" asked Frost. "So what's the big project this time?"

Natasha gave him a dirty look.

"One that's going to get you to notice me, Frost," replied Samedi.

"Really?" asked Frost. "The only thing I ever got out of your ideas was a big laugh. But word is that Ha Des has been giving you a lot of attention…"

"Is that a fact?" asked Samedi.

Frost's brow furrowed.

"Yes, and the Dark Ruler doesn't seem to care about any of us but you any more," said Frost. "So I have to wonder… Are you finally on to something now?"

Samedi gave him a slight grin.

He took a small dropper from the table, and dipped it into the liquid, drawing out a drop.

"Natasha, dear, come here honey…" he said.

Natasha walked up to him.

"Stick your tongue out," he said.

She did so, and he placed a drop of the substance on her tongue.

"Good girl," he said. "Now, I'm going to ask a few questions, and I want straight answers.

"Who's our representative in the Council?"

Natasha paused.

"Kalvelos," she said.

"I see," said Samedi. "What's the name of my species?"

"Shining Abyss," she said.

"Interesting," he said. "What's the name of _your_ species?"

"Dreamsprite," she said.

"What color is snow?" he asked.

"Black."

"What's two plus two?"

"Ten."

Samedi picked up a jar of something that looked like honey. He dipped a spoon into it.

"Eat this…" he said, feeding a spoonful to her.

She swallowed it.

"Mmm!" she said.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Natasha," she said.

"Good girl," said Samedi.

"All right…" muttered Frost. "I'm a little lost here… Why was she acting so ridiculous?"

"Ridiculous?" asked Samedi. "She was lying, Frost, plain and simple…

"That drop of liquid I gave her was lies in their purest, concentrated form…"

Frost just glared at him.

"I just gave her one drop," continued Samedi, "but if I had not given her that antidote in time, she'd have been cursed never to tell the truth until the day she was in the Graveyard…"

Natasha looked at Frost and gave an evil grin.

"Right…" muttered Frost. "Maybe she was… doing it on purpose…"

"Care for a taste, Frost?" asked Samedi, evilly, motioning to the beaker. "I warn you, I'm not too keen on sharing the antidote…"

Frost drew back. If there was one thing he wasn't, it was stupid.

"I instructed Natasha to commit several crimes in every civilized Level Four Quarters except the Zombie one, and place evidence blaming certain groups," said Samedi. "As folks started to believe these lies, running rampant at the same time, I was able to draw them out and create this… Which, I already explained, is pure, concentrated, dishonesty.

"Deceit, betrayal, and deception, Frost… It's how all evil begins…"

"Okay, Samedi, okay…" said Frost. "I guess I'm a _little_ impressed. You managed to create a concept in a chemical form, that's no small feat. But what are you going to do with it, Samedi? Surely not drink it yourself? Last I checked, telling the truth on occasion did have its upside."

"Frost…" chuckled Samedi, "if I told you that, how will I know you won't try to steal it?"

Frost gave him a look.

"You know me too well, Samedi…" he said, taking an envelope out of his cloak.

"Here, the other reason I came… And this wasn't my idea..."

He handed it to Samedi.

"An invitation?" asked Samedi.

"Victoria has been planning this for two years," said Frost. "It takes a while to reserve The Forbidden Palace for a private party. She wants you two to be there. Two Sundays from now…

"See you then… We even got the Harpie Lady Sisters to perform."

As the older Vampire Lord turned to leave, Samedi grinned as he opened the invitation. Natasha wrapped her arms around him.

"Are we going?" she asked.

"Of course we are…" said Samedi.

He kissed her on the forehead.

"After all, in that amount of time, I'll have done what I need to do to truly be the life of the party!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At that moment, in the Level Five Machine Habitation Quarters…

A certain Ebon Magician Curran was in big trouble.

Energy flowed through her from the Trial of the Princess cube on her belt, but she was wondering if her quest for advancement wouldn't end with her sliced in half.

She was also wondering if she had been played for a sucker.

A robed figure had told her where she would find someone who was Level Five, and made himself known for killing monsters like herself – she wanted this to truly count. She thought that, with the spell cube and a few Gravity Bind traps, the Pendulum Machine would be no match for her…

She found out too late that this building was protected by a Royal Decree, and that this Machine was armed with a Machine Conversion Factory cube. She was beginning to think that whoever had led her here was a friend of some Pikeru.

She faced the dangerous-looking creature who silently hovered over the air. She considered running for her life… But the Trial cube wasn't going to last forever and she'd likely never find another.

She fingered the spell cube in her pocket.

She'd either win, or she'd die…

The Pendulum Machine quickly made a rush, and then grabbed her arms…

It's blade swung backwards… another second and she'd be in two pieces…

Her thumb flicked the switch…

The Machine let go, and toppled over. Sally was pushed herself away from it, and took a spill herself.

She slowly got up. It would recover fully from the Block Attack spell in a few seconds, so she had to be ready with something else by the time it was able to come after her again.

She took another cube out of her pocket. She threw it.

A cloud of smoke covered the whole room. Sally was smart enough to know that Machines didn't need to breathe, but she hoped that Smoke Grenade of the Thief would at least blind it for a second.

It all depended on one cube that she had no experience with…

She activated it, and the Book of Secret Arts appeared and opened in front of her.

She moved her finger down the page of the eldritch writing…

_Oh, come on Sally…_ she told herself. _You can pronounce this… You've seen other Spellcasters do this a thousand times before!_

The Pendulum Machine loomed in front of her, its optic sensors glowing, apparently with anger…

_Here goes nothing…_ she thought.

_"Mastas… erasmus… torkas evas kull!"_ she chanted.

Energy flowed through her, and the cube activated.

She pulled her switch taunt.

"Ebon blast!" she shouted.

A beam of black magic shot from her hands, and hit the Machine in chest. Sparks flew from it and it fell backwards…

And then it exploded into pixels.

Sally paused, and caught some deep breaths…

She had won…

The Trial of the Princess cube glowed, and its true power flowed through her.

She closed her eyes, as her form started to change…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The morning came, and passed. As did the afternoon.

The evening came, and EZ met Sonja in a place where neither of them wanted to be…

The Low Level Fiend Quarters were matched only by the Low Level Zombie Quarters in squalor and filth. Most of the Fiend Quarters were rather unpleasant. The upper levels were pretty nice if you happened to be a Fiend, but to anyone else, this was the shady part of town.

And in the poor section of the shady part of town, dregs and gutter trash hung out. Not just Fiends, but Low Level Zombies who didn't like living under Ha Des's rule. Kuribohs were more of a problem here than they were anywhere else – they were Fiends too, after all, and rumor had it that all of the regular variety came into being in this part of town. (The same rumor said that Winged Kuribohs appeared in the Low Level Fairy Quarters, and folks were mixed about them. Some folks said they were harmless and even cute, while others called them a nuisance.)

As the sun went down, EZ and Sonja stood at a dried out basin, bearing a strange statue. It consisted of two monsters. One was clearly a Marie the Fallen One, and she was on her knees in a terrible state before a powerful figure…

The powerful figure was strange, but was clearly a guy you did not want to mess with. He was a figure with wings, a single eye, and a flowing cloak, holding a staff. Aside from his eye, he had no features on his face.

EZ looked at that strange figure for a long time…

_Is that the guy who punished the Maries and made them… fall?_ he asked.

He looked around, and then heard snoring. At the side of the basin, a Big Eye was asleep.

"We should be able to see it now…" said Sonja.

"Remember?" asked EZ, taking two trap cubes out of his pouch. "Only Fiends and Zombies can see it."

"Oh, gross…" muttered Sonja, taking one of the DNA Surgery cubes. "You are certain this is temporary?"

"It lasts as long as you want it too," said EZ. "Here, I'll show you…"

He hit the trigger on the cube, and then placed it back it the pouch…

He clutched his stomach in discomfort. His ears grew, and became even more pointed, and his skin turned blue. Then small horns grew out of his forehead. He opened his eyes, and they were reptilian.

He looked at his hands, that had formed into claws.

"Well, could have been worse…" he said. "Go ahead… Just be careful, there might be a momentary discomfort…"

"Here goes…" she said.

As she turned it on, the change was much more drastic. Her skin turned green, and then talons formed on her hands and feet. Her ears turned pointed, and larger horns sprouted from her forehead…

Then, she cringed, as bat-like wings burst out of her back and a barbed tail formed on her behind.

"Good lord…" muttered EZ.

"WOW!" said a voice.

They turned, and saw it came from the Big Eye.

"You're sure a sight for sore eyes," said the Fiend. "Most of what I see around here are eyesores. My eye hasn't spied something like you for eye don't know how long!"

"Lovely…" muttered Sonja. "I turn myself into a Fiend, and already a Fiend makes a pass at me…"

"Buddy," said EZ, "you bite an Amazon, she bites back. Look, have you seen any creepy flying castles around here?"

"Eye, eye, you mean that one?" asked the Big Eye, pointing behind him.

They looked up…

It was floating over the city… A hulking, rotting castle, seemingly sculpted out of pure darkness. A hazy fog surrounded it.

"How the heck do we get up there?" asked Sonja.

"I thought that might be a problem…" said EZ.

He handed her a spell cube.

Shift.

"Ooh…" muttered Sonja. "I get travel-sick when I use magic to travel!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

They appeared on the foyer of the Castle, and found a surprise…

The front gate had already been blown open with a Blast With Chain.

"Someone's already gotten here," said EZ. "Likely, Samedi's already inside, and I doubt he came alone…"

"Can I turn off this trap now?" asked Sonja.

"Well, we're here…" said EZ.

They both turned off the Surgery traps, and the fiendish features melted away. They could still see the Castle, so they ventured inside.

"Sonja, this may not be a good time to mention this, but," said EZ, "I just used my only two Shift cubes, so we're going to have to find another way to get down."

"Peachy…" said Sonja.

"And don't forget…" warned EZ, "if we're on this thing when the sun rises, it goes back to Dark World, and takes us with it. Now on the average, the sun rises at six AM, so…"

They walked in, and drew back, startled.

In the first room were four creepy statues, depicting weird creatures with pear-shaped bodies, limbs with purple gloves and boots, and blue capes. Spooky eyes covered the torsos.

Thousand-Eyes Idols. These statues were found in the most forlorn places of the Shadow Realm. No one knew just who or what had sculpted them, they served no apparent purpose, and while they seemed harmless, just looking at them suggested that a dark secret was hidden inside them…

"This isn't even a nice place to visit," said Sonja, drawing her sword.

"Yeah…" muttered EZ, taking a device out of his pouch.

"What's that?" asked Sonja.

"A police tool that I kept," said EZ. "It detects and identifies auras.

"Right now it's detecting two Level Four Earth Warriors at very close range…"

He stopped, and blushed.

"Wait… that would be the two of us…" he quickly said.

He made an adjustment.

"All right…" he said. "Three Zombies with strong auras and several Fiends with moderate ones passed by here. One of the Zombies is likely Samedi, and the Fiends are likely hired help…

"The other Zombies with strong auras are probably henchmen we haven't seen yet… Natasha would only be moderate and I doubt he'd bring her to such a dangerous place…"

"As much as I admire your deductive skills," said Sonja, "I personally feel like booting some butt!"

She walked past him and through an archway.

EZ watched her in wonder.

He turned to one of the Idols.

"What are _you_ looking at?" he shouted.

He stared at it.

_Inanimate objects,_ he thought. _The worst thing about being annoyed by one is that there's no rational way to get back at it…_

He drew his sword and struck the Idol, smashing it to pieces.

_Fortunately,_ he thought, _I am NOT a rational person._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The two Warriors wandered through dark chambers, each one creepier than the last.

In the first, horrid paintings of monsters that they assumed to be Fiends were plastered on the wall. (Sonja tried to read one of the titles, but it was in a language that she had never seen.)

In the second, chandeliers and candelabras held hundreds of candles made of black wax, that cast a ghostly glow on the whole room.

The third was a room that they simply did not know the purpose of. Several chains with nothing attached to them hung down from the ceiling. EZ was brave enough to try pulling one, but nothing happened.

Then they came to a room that had been turned upside down. Pieces of broken furniture, blast marks on the walls, and other signs of a fight were evident.

Sonja moved to the front of the room and picked up two objects. They looked like huge femurs.

"What monster did these belong to?" she asked. "A Dragon?"

"Those aren't bones…" muttered EZ. "Those are clubs used by Giant Orcs…"

He turned on the device.

"And since an Orc would never leave his weapon behind," he continued, "the owners are more than likely dead…

"Giant Orcs are popular among crime bosses as hired muscle – I wouldn't be surprised if Samedi had a few on his payroll."

The device beeped.

"Here we are," he said. "The auras are fresh… I'm reading six auras, four belonging to Level Four Dark Fiends… well, that explains the Orcs…"

He looked at it again.

"Another was a Level Five Dark Zombie… More than likely Samedi…

"And the last is a…

"Strange…

"The last is a Level Four Wind Fiend."

"Level Four Wind Fiend?" asked Sonja. "A Slate Warrior?"

"I guess…" said EZ, puzzled. "But this is getting stranger. The auras say that the four Dark Fiends never left this room – the Orcs clearly didn't survive – but the Zombie and this Wind Fiend…

"…went through there…"

He pointed to an archway.

"Hold on…" said Sonja. "You're telling me, that one Slate Warrior could kill four Orcs and send a Vampire Lord running?"

EZ paused.

He held Sonja's arms.

"Sonja…" he said. "I certainly hope so…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Eventually, they came to another door that had been blasted open.

They heard sounds of talking inside it.

"I can't count on those silly Orcs to do anything right!" growled Samedi's voice.

"I tried taking it," said another voice, "but my experience in such matters is… small. It seemed resistant to my powers."

"Wait…" said EZ with a sneer. "I know that voice…"

They peeked into the door, and then crawled out onto a balcony.

Samedi was standing with four Opticlops by his side, with Zero-Five behind him.

In front of him was…

"Morphenian…" growled EZ.

The Patrician of Darkness had clearly been in a fight – his armor was a little dented, but he didn't seem actually hurt.

"Morphenian, you're going to have to deal with this creature while the rest of the us find the artifact," said Samedi. "If you must, use your Mirror Force cube. I know for a fact that those creatures have no resistance against that."

"That seems a waste of a powerful trap," replied Morphenian.

"Morphenian, I don't know what Richie told you," answered Samedi, "but any monster who dies in battle and has even one unused spell or trap on his carcass does not get any sympathy from me! If you save your powerful weapons instead of using them, you might put yourself in danger, and die when one of them could have saved you!

"Now you go find that thing and think about that…"

EZ was stunned…

Gonzap had given him the exact same speech at one time. He was chasing a Blindly Loyal Goblin who was carrying what seemed to be and endless supply of Mystical Space Typhoon cubes. None of his weapons would last long enough to use against the perp.

EZ did have a Fusion Sword Murasame Blade in his arsenal which the guy couldn't have destroyed, and which would have ended the struggle quick. But those weapons are hard to come by, and EZ didn't want to waste it. So he didn't, and when the Goblin ran out of spells and decided to confront him, he was in trouble.

That was one of the many times Elfour had saved his life…

_ARGH!_ he thought. _Why do I keep thinking about her?_

"Need I remind you, my friend," said Samedi, looking at his pocket watch, "that this place goes back to the nether regions in seven hours, so unless you plan on fighting the armies of Pandemonium, I suggest you dispose of this annoyance and help the rest of us quickly."

Morphenian walked towards the stairway going up to the balcony, while Samedi and his entourage walked towards another archway.

"Now what?" whispered Sonja.

"We deal with Samedi later," said EZ. "I'm going to have a chat with tall, dark, and gruesome over there…"

"You know that guy?" asked Sonja.

"Yeah…" said EZ. "You might say that…"

"Well," said Morphenian. "If I have to deal with it, I simply must, although a Sha…"

He stopped short.

He and EZ's eyes met.

Morphenian smirked.

"So, Sergeant, I see you found a new girlfriend…"

"She's not my girlfriend, Morphenian," he answered, "and I must say, this comes as a shock. You're in good shape for someone who's supposed to be dead…"

"Dead?" asked Sonja.

Morphenian nodded.

"Yes, this meddling elvish warrior was the one who struck the killing blow," he said with a smirk. "But EZ… You knew I was working for Richie, you knew what he was dealing, and Richie was very… generous…"

EZ's eyes narrowed.

"When your body was taken to the coroner…" he muttered.

"Sadly, I had to do away with the Injection Fairy Lily who was about to do the autopsy," said Morphenian with a grin. "But please EZ… What's the life of one low-level Spellcaster, especially one who's a walking smokestack?"

EZ's face contorted in hate, and he raised his sword.

"You piece of…" he started.

He was about to lunge at Morphenian, but Sonja held his shoulder.

"He has a Mirror Force, remember?" she warned.

"Of course…" said Morphenian, "with Richie gone, and everyone thinking I was dead, I decided to go into hiding… But I got bored… Found a new employer, new job… Decided to start over again with someone with more job security…"

EZ started to notice that a chilling wind started to blow through the room.

"I wish I could stay and chat, Sergeant," continued the Patrician. "But as you know, Samedi and I are having a problem with someone who was here before we were…

"And now… He's your problem too. So you might want to watch out behind you…"

Automatically, EZ and Sonja spun around…

And they ducked, as a _huge_ sword nearly lopped their heads off.

They looked up in fear at the hideous creature, who was almost seven feet tall. It wore armor that would be the envy of any Warrior, but this was clearly a Fiend. It held a sword in its right hand that looked like it was designed to be used with two hands, and its left hand was a huge metal claw. From its back grew batlike wings that reached a span of ten feet.

"Sonja…" said EZ.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Run…"

They turned and fled, just in time to see Morphenian leap from the balcony and float to the floor below. He ran the way Samedi had went. EZ saw another exit on the same balcony, and they headed for it.

Unfortunately, the creature was in pursuit. The two Warriors dashed through a set of double doors.

"Push!" shouted EZ, grabbing one of them.

They slammed the two doors closed.

EZ saw a winch on the door.

_Righty-tighty, lefty-loosey…_ he thought.

He quickly spun it to the right, and the door locked into place.

He put his hand on his forehead.

"You know, Sonja," he said, "when I was on the force, I took down a lot of strong guys… Like a Fiend Megacyber, a Flash Assailant… Heck, once I even wrangled in a Dark Driceratops… they never figured out how it got into the Spellcaster Quarters. A lot of folks told me, 'EZ, you could beat an Archfiend'…

"And now I gotta wonder… Can I?"

"Seriously?" asked Sonja, getting scared. "This thing is an Archfiend?"

"Yeah…" said EZ. "A Shadowknight. An incredibly powerful Level Four. It wasn't a Slate Warrior who killed those Orcs…"

"Think that door will hold it?" asked Sonja.

The Shadowknight's sword burst through the door, in a shower of splinters.

"That answer your question?" he replied.

The Archfiend's claw smashed through the door, and it fell over.

It glared at them with cold eyes…

It started to speak, but the words were in some language they couldn't understand.

"Sorry, fellah," said EZ, "I don't speak Infernus…"

He reached for the Sword of Deep-Seated in his pouch.

_What am I doing?_ he thought. _That's not gonna be enough…_

"Sonja, if you have another Amazoness Archers cube, you'd best use it…" he said.

Sonja took the trap cube out of her pouch and stood up to the creature.

"Hey, gruesome!" she shouted. "Come and get me why don't ya?"

A low laughter came from the Fiend…

As it raised its sword, EZ noticed that it had a trap cube of its own…

_NO!_ he thought.

The Shadowknight ran towards Sonja, and she activated the trap, sending a swarm of arrows at the Archfiend…

… then a shimmering light surrounded it, and the arrows vanished.

"Huh?" said Sonja.

EZ shoved her aside, and parried with the Sword of Deep-Seated. He groaned under the pressure…

The Archfiend slashed at his ribs. He fell over and landed on top of Sonja.

The Sword absorbed most of the pain, but not all of it.

Sonja grabbed him, and pulled him to his feet.

"Run again?" she said. "I may have another trick…"

"Tell me on the way…" he said.

They started running again, and Sonja took a spell cube out of her pouch.

"Amazoness Spellcaster," she said. "An Amazon can use it whenever she fights someone who's stronger. Her strength becomes his, his becomes hers. So long as he doesn't have a Magic Jammer to go with that Trap Jammer he used…"

EZ stopped short.

"Will that work on anyone?" he asked.

"Uh huh," said Sonja. "In theory, and Amazon using this could take out one of the Blue Eyes."

"Sonja, wait…" muttered EZ.

He looked at the Shadowknight, who was staring them down.

"Something you should know about Archfiends…" he said. "They have some resistance to certain spells and traps. A spell like that might not even work on that guy. Basically, when using a spell on an Archfiend… it's a matter of luck."

"Well…" said Sonja. "We'll know in a minute whether I'm lucky… or dead…"

She held her sword up and turned towards the Archfiend.

It roared, and charged towards her…

"Activate Amazoness Spellcaster!" she shouted.

Both monsters started to glow, and two wisps flew out of them, flying from each of them and into the other.

"Amazon blade!" she shouted.

She slashed with the weapon, and the Shadowknight howled. It dropped its sword…

And then it shattered into shards.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Is it dead?" asked Samedi.

"Yes," said Morphenian. "Sergeant EZ and his girlfriend did us a little favor."

"Hmm…" muttered Samedi. "We should find time to thank him…"

He took a trap cube from his cloak and activated it. A stone tablet appeared in the air.

"This Mystic Probe should find the artifact quickly," he said.

A map of the whole castle appeared on the probe.

"The roof," he said. "Let's hurry…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"So…" muttered EZ, looking at the fallen Shadowknight's sword. "Just where do you girls get these powerful spells and traps anyway?"

"Can you keep a secret?" asked Sonja, who was sipping from a canteen.

EZ nodded.

"Well…" said Sonja. "Ever hear of the famine of 4003?"

"Yeah…" said EZ. "The farm towers were hit by a drought, the city starved, riots started, the Machine Habitation was destroyed… It was only averted when all the spell cube _and_ trap cube factories teamed up to produce an enormous surplus of Emergency Provisions cubes. The city had to live on hardtack and beef jerky until the farms recovered, but the city survived."

"You don't know the secret behind the solution, EZ," said Sonja. "At the time, Emergency Provisions was not exactly the cheapest spell cube to make. If the factories had made such a surplus using the current blueprint, they'd have gone broke, and wouldn't have recovered for years.

"But one Amazoness Swords Woman who was the unofficial leader of the Amazons at the time went to them with a solution – she knew a better way to make that particular cube. It simply consisted of replacing the two most expensive ingredients with two herbs found in the Plant and Insect Living Quarters. If that was done, they could be made for half the price, and the resulting product would be twice as effective."

"That seems too good to be true," noted EZ.

"She gave them proof," continued Sonja. "But she wouldn't part with the information without something in return – the Spell and Trap Guilds would produce a few cubes of her own design for the Amazons' personal use. Rather than go broke, they agreed.

"So, the city was saved, and ever since then, we have a few good tools."

They got up, and started walking towards the place where they saw Samedi.

"So…" said Sonja. "Where did you see that Patrician of Darkness before?"

EZ grimaced.

"Some years ago," he said, "there was a working worm nest named Fushioh Richie. He had big plans… He was going to replace Ha Des as the crimelord of the Central Shadow Realm. And he used a lot of powerful spell cubes to muscle his way to the top…

"Including the inappropriately named Book of Life…

"See, even before his time, some other powerful Zombie tried to make a cheaper substitute for Monster Reborn. What he got was Book of Life, an evil parody. You see, this spell works like Monster Reborn, but it only works for Zombies…

"And to use it, another monster has to die…

"Anyway, we were after Richie for a long time, and I personally fought Morphenian a few times. I thought I had truly killed him in the last encounter…

"I guess I should have known he'd have saved one last Book of Life to use as insurance…"

"So what happened to Fushioh Richie?" asked Sonja.

EZ smirked.

"I told you…" he said. "He tried to replace Ha Des. The Dark Ruler does not like being challenged…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Baron Samedi looked hard at the seven stones arranged on the roof, each one marked with a letter.

**A B**

**C D E**

**F G**

He took a scroll of paper out of his cloak and read the verse on it.

_Crown of darkness, crown of might,  
Stones that stand amid the night  
Stand on the hub and gaze to where  
The sun will be when you aren't there.  
Find the second and fifth connect,  
The sinister stone is the stone correct.  
Travel withershins just one stone,  
Greet the dusk, cross the circle home.  
Travel counter, two stones more,  
Cross again, as you did before.  
Imagine another stone laid down,  
Dig at this spot to find the crown._

"Hmmm…" said Samedi.

"Waddaya think it means?" asked one of the Opticlops.

"Quiet!" said Zero-Five. "The boss is thinking…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

EZ and Sonja were at the edge of a large abyss looking down…

And then, they saw a platform coming up.

"And elevator!" exclaimed Sonja.

"And what do you do with an elevator?" asked EZ.

They leapt on the platform.

"You ride it! Watch out Samedi, we're coming!"

**0**

**0**

**0**

_HEY! _

Can you solve the riddle that Samedi is trying to solve? Here's a hint… those stones are arranged just as they would be on a compass.

You've likely guessed Samedi's goal by now, but how he intends to go about it is still a mystery. More of his multi-stage plan comes to light next chapter, as EZ and Sonja have to fight their way out of this creepy castle, in "Prepare To Strike Back", coming soon.


	8. Prepare to Strike Back

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER EIGHT **

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Prepare To Strike Back

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

**A B **

C D E

F G

_Crown of darkness, crown of might,  
Stones that stand amid the night  
Stand on the hub and gaze to where  
The sun will be when you aren't there.  
Find the second and fifth connect,  
The sinister stone is the stone correct.  
Travel withershins just one stone,  
Greet the dusk, cross the circle home.  
Travel counter, two stones more,  
Cross again, as you did before.  
Imagine another stone laid down,  
Dig at this spot to find the crown._

Samedi looked at the verse, and then looked at the stones.

Each one was about ten feet tall, and four feet wide, shaped like an unhewn cylinder.

"Of course…" he said. "It's simple…"

He leapt up, and landed on the top of the D stone.

_Stand on the hub and gaze to where  
The sun will be when you aren't there._

"We won't be here when it rises, so that would be east…" he said, looking at the E stone.

_Find the second and fifth connect…_

He looked to the space between B and E.

_The sinister stone is the stone correct._

"In the older language," he said, "sinister was a term for 'left'."

He looked at the B stone, and then jumped from his spot to it.

_Travel withershins just one stone._

"Withershins…" he muttered. "That means clockwise…"

He jumped to the E stone.

_Greet the dusk, cross the circle home._

"Dusk… the west…"

He turned, and then leapt to D, then to C.

_Travel counter, two stones more._

"Counter clockwise…" he said.

He jumped to the F, then the G.

_Cross again, as you did before._

He jumped to D, then to A.

_Imagine another stone laid down,  
Dig at this spot to find the crown._

He made a small calculation… The stones were each about ten feet apart.

He leapt down, and slowly walked ten feet northwest of the A.

"This is where another stone would be if there was another circle of them…" he said.

He blew on the floor, and sure enough there was a panel.

"You two with the crowbar," he said to two of the Opticlopses. "Come here…"

Two of the Fiends came up and looked down. Samedi pointed, and the one of them pressed the end of the crowbar on the edge of the panel.

With a grunt, he pushed down, and the stone panel lifted up. The other Opticlops grabbed it, lifted it off.

"Hmm…" he muttered, looking in.

"Uh, boss?" he said.

There was a small chest inside the depression… And one very primitive-looking trap cube on it.

"Careful, people…" he said, motioning to Morphenian. "That could be a Widespread Ruin, Torrential Tribute, or even worse."

Morphenian looked at it.

"Yeah, I recognize it," said the Patrician. "A Dark World special which, roughly translated, is called Archfiend's Roar…"

He looked around.

"Someone set one or more monsters to guard this chest, and triggering that trap will make them come out of hiding…"

"Tongs!" ordered Samedi.

An Opticlops handed him a long pair of tongs.

"All of you," he said. "Don't move… Don't even breathe if you can help it…"

He gripped the cube with the tongs.

"Last thing we need is any more Shadowknights…" he muttered, as he slowly lifted it.

He carefully raised it out of the depression. Sweat beaded on his forehead…

He moved it aside…

Then he placed it on the ground, five feet away.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Pick up the chest," he said to one of the Fiends.

The Opticlops picked it up. It was a simple chest made of metal, with a lock on it.

"Open it carefully," he said.

The Opticlops tore off the lock with a swift yank.

"I said _carefully_!" yelled Samedi.

He punched the Fiend in his eye. The Opticlops yelled in pain and clutched it.

"Oh, show some backbone!" scolded Morphenian.

"This is probably why Ha Des drinks so much," muttered Samedi. "You jerks drove him to it…"

Samedi lifted up the lid, and then reached in the chest.

He took out a rather ugly item. It was a crown, but made entirely of black metal, decorated with points that were shaped like black flames.

"The Crown of the Overlord…" he said.

"That's it?" muttered one of the Opticlops. "I kinda expected it to be gold with gems and all…"

"It may be ugly," said Samedi, "but it has historical significance. This was the crown worn by Reign-Beaux the Overlord when the Dark World Fiends were still the rulers of Dark World. When the Archfiends seized control, they took this from him, and apparently hid it somewhere.

"Now we've found it…"

"Can it do anything?" asked the same Fiend.

"Well," said Samedi, "yes, but I'm more interested in the auras it contains. All part of the plan…"

"And maybe you can tell us what that is, Samedi," said a voice.

Everyone turned and saw EZ and Sonja.

"You going to finally fill us in on the big purpose behind this treasure hunt?" asked EZ.

"Ah, Sergeant…" muttered Samedi. "You have a lot of spunk…

"I don't blame you… I was the same way when I was a lowly Level Four…"

He turned to the four Fiends.

"No offense…" he added.

"Be careful, Sonja," said EZ, "they have us outnumbered…"

"You want me to smash them for you?" asked Zero-Five.

"Just ready our way back to the street," answered Samedi. "I'll handle these two personally."

Zero-Five nodded. He, Morphenian, and the four Opticlopses ran to the edge of the roof behind him.

"I'd stay back if I were you, Sergeant…" said Samedi, lifting the crown. "You don't know what this thing is capable of doing."

He looked at the crown, strangely.

"Come to think of it, neither do I!" he continued. "Let's find out!"

He placed it on his head.

His eyes glowed with red light.

"Heh, heh," he chuckled. "Reign-Beaux, you were such a devil…"

He reached down, and picked up the Archfiend's Roar cube…

"What are you doing?" asked EZ.

Samedi hurled it to the floor, and it burst.

The seven stone pillars started, to crack, and then they shattered…

…actually, it looked like something burst free from each of them.

Standing where the stones had been were seven horrid Fiends with wrinkled grey skin and ram-like horns growing out of their skulls. Each was clothed in a tattered cloak, and they carried swords with serrated edges.

"Archfiend Soldiers?" said Samedi. "Eh… I was kind of hoping for more Shadowknights…"

His eyes glowed again, and then the eyes of the seven Fiends glowed.

"Get them, but don't kill them," he said. "Hold them here until the Castle decided to go back home."

They nodded, and walked towards the two Warriors.

"I bid you adieu, Sergeant," said Samedi. "And don't worry, the Dark World is said to have great weather this time of year."

He backed up, and then turned to where the others had went.

"Sonja…" muttered EZ. "How many more of those Amazoness Spellcaster things do you have?"

"Two…" she answered.

"Not gonna be enough…" he replied.

Then the Fiends rushed him.

"Get behind me!" he shouted.

Sonja tried to do so, and to her shock, the Obnoxious Celtic Guardian rushed the creatures.

A sword of Deep-Seated appeared in his hand…

"He's crazy…" muttered Sonja.

That was pretty much what EZ was thinking himself. He managed to knock two of them down, before ten fists pummeled in to him.

The two he had knocked down got up, and all them started to punch him.

Sonja was almost in panic. She reached into her pouch and took out the first spell cube she touched…

She activated it…

A small cherub resembling a stuffed animal with wings appeared over the fight. A blue die appeared in its hands.

It tossed the die… Sonja held her breath as it rolled.

She sighed in relief as it came up a six.

EZ felt his muscles expanding…

With a grunt, he forced himself to his feet, and then tossed two of the creatures off of him. He punched another one in the face, and it fell over. Then he kicked a fourth, and it stumbled.

The other three got up and stared at him. His eyes were blackened, and he was bleeding from a gash in his forehead, but he wasn't though yet…

He motioned for the three Fiends to come closer…

They declined, and ran.

EZ fell on one knee, while Sonja came up to him.

"EZ! Are you…" she shouted.

"I've been better…" he gasped. "Oh, who am I kidding? I haven't felt this bad since I had to take down that Berserk Gorilla that some nut thought would make a good pet…"

He moaned.

"A Graceful Dice?" he asked. "That was the riskiest thing I've ever seen…"

"It was the best I could do…" she muttered.

He groaned and held his chest.

"Sonja…" he said. "We gotta get back to the street. We have less than…"

He looked at his watch.

"…two hours before the sun comes up, and for all we know, this place will dump us in the middle of the Terrorking's court."

"You got an idea?" she asked. "We can't fly…"

"Fly…" muttered EZ. "You still have that DNA Surgery trap cube?"

She reached into her pouch and held it up.

"Good, it still has some power in it," he said, looking at it. "You have to turn it on and change your Type to Winged Beast. Then you should be able to fly down."

"Eww…" muttered Sonja. "But… what about you?"

He slowly handed her a spell cube.

"That's a Creature Swap," he said. "It's expensive, but we have to use it. When you get down, find a Kuriboh and use that to switch it with me. Now hurry, before those Archfiends find out I'm so trashed!"

Sonja ran to the edge of the roof.

_A Winged Beast?_ she thought. _This may be worse than the Fiend…_

She turned it on, and concentrated.

She didn't feel much pain this time…

Then her hands and feet seemed to burst as they turned into talons. Then, beautiful, rainbow-colored wings grew from her arms.

"Whoa…" she said. "If only the Harpie Lady Sisters could see this…

"Well, here goes…"

She spread her wings, and to her delight, it was as easy as walking. She soared off the building…

Anyone who dreamed of unaided flight would have envied her right now. She felt a rush that was greater than anything she had ever felt…

For brief moments, she was tempted to just fly away and not look back.

But she came to her senses, and started to descend.

That was when she found out the downside…

Taking off was easy…

_Landing_ was very hard.

She screamed as she fell with a crash into a set of garbage cans that had clearly not been emptied for weeks.

She groaned as she got up.

"That stupid Summoned Skull…" she muttered. "He should put some effort into cleaning up this part of town…

"All right, let's see, Kuriboh…"

She looked around.

This was ironic. Those things were always around when you didn't want them, and now the one time she did, there was none.

She pulled another spell cube from her pouch.

"And Freya said this thing was useless…" she said with a chuckle.

She clicked the button of the cube.

A set of panpipes appeared in the air, and an eerie tune started to play…

Then she heard a skittering sound.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"That music…" muttered EZ. "Don't tell me she actually packed a Flute of Summoning Kuriboh!"

He watched, as the seven Archfiends started walking towards him.

"Any time, Sonja…" he said.

Then he vanished in a puff of smoke, and a very confused Kuriboh appeared in his place.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

When EZ got his bearings, he was immediately assaulted by shouts of "Kuri! Kuri!"

He looked around and saw more Kuribohs around than he had ever seen in one place.

They all looked at him.

"Shoo!" he shouted. "Scram! Go away!"

"Sorry…" said Sonja's voice. "I couldn't find any, so I used a Flute of Summoning Kuriboh, and it apparently _called_ every Kuriboh within a mile."

"We have more things to worry about than these fuzzballs," muttered EZ. "I need to get back to my apartment and get a few Blue Medicines…

"Maybe a drink too, and… uh… You can turn off the trap cube now."

"Why?" asked Sonja. "I never looked so great!"

"Don't make this a habit, Sonja…" warned EZ. "You use those cubes to turn into one Type too often, well, there are rumors…

"An urban legend among cops says that one Getsu Fuhma used it to turn into a Fiend so often, in order to better combat them… but eventually, she couldn't turn back!

"Could you imagine what it would have been like for her? Trapped in the body of a Type that was her species' natural enemy?"

Sonja shivered.

She turned it off.

They looked up, but they couldn't see the Castle of Dark Illusions any more. They figured that they were back to a place where only Fiends and Zombies could see it.

But it hardly mattered.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"It lets you command Fiends?" asked Natasha.

"Only ones native to Dark World," answered Samedi. "This might even work on the Terrorking himself…"

"Ooh…" purred the Vampire Lady, cuddling up to him. "Once this whole thing is done with, maybe we could take a vacation to Dark World…

"We could make any Archfiends we meet into slaves, and have them wait on us, and…"

Samedi chuckled.

"It sounds like a good idea, in theory," he said, hugging her. "But to get to Dark World the normal way, we'd have to talk our way past Dark Necrofear, and she is _not_ someone to take lightly…

"Tomorrow night I'll start on the next preparations, and if that elf escaped, I might need you to handle him…"

"It would be my pleasure…" she purred.

"Oh, and I might need you to do one more small thing…" he added.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At noon the next day, the CSRPD was more chaotic than ever.

Gonzap was walking down the crowded corridor with a Gadget Soldier.

"Don't worry, Inspector," said the Machine in a metallic voice. "Mobius seemed to be in a good mood when I saw him."

"If there's one thing I know about the Monarchs," replied Gonzap, "is that any time they're happy, someone else is going to end up _unhappy._"

They passed by an Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei who was standing watch outside an interrogation room – and, as usual, not paying much attention. These guys were incredibly strong, but they tended to slack off when there wasn't something immediate to take care of.

"Hey, Fortwo," said Gonzap. "You know, you're a good deal smarter than you look…"

The Indomitable Fighter grinned and gave a thumbs up.

"But he's still dumb enough to think that's a compliment…" whispered Gonzap to the Gadget Soldier as they passed by.

As he turned the corner, he almost bumped into a Kinetic Soldier.

"Inspector Gonzap?" said the Machine, in a tinny, hollow voice.

"Yeah, what is it?" asked Gonzap.

"Message from Dupin," replied the Machine.

_Lovely…_ thought Gonzap.

In Gonzap's department, he was the boss, and nothing was more nerve-wracking than instructions from _his_ boss.

"Well, let's hear it," he said.

The Kinetic Soldier's eyes glowed, and he started speaking in the voice of the Warrior who was once called Freed the Matchless General…

_"Inspector Gonzap,"_ said Dupin's voice. _"We have something that might need taken care of. You naturally remember the crisis with Duke Moloch so long ago… _

"A burglary has been committed which we so far have no leads to. Last night, the impound lot was broken into, and someone went through some of the things we confiscated from him before he was banished.

"The odd part is, out of all the powerful – and illegal – spell and trap cubes that were in the strongbox, only one was taken. It's a spell cube that, unfortunately, we never managed to identify or activate. What it does is a mystery.

"A reading taken at the crime scene showed the aura of a Level Four Zombie. Exactly what species, we aren't sure.

"We have a better police presence in the Zombie Living Quarters thanks to Pumpking. I suggest you have your men start asking questions in the Level Four section. If you get information, report to me.

"I hate to say it, but I'm worried. Whatever that spell cube does…

"…it likely isn't something good."

Gonzap put his hand on his chin.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"So tell me more about this Getsu Fuhma who was turned into a Fiend," asked Sonja.

EZ finished the cup of Blue Medicine, and then poured some more of it from the flask.

"Just a rumor, actually," he said. "There are lots of rumors floating around…

"I mean, there was one rumor that Elfour was fond of telling me all the time… Sort of an urban legend in her part of town…"

She looked at him strangely.

"Yeah…" answered EZ. "See, rumors say that deep inside the Pyro and Thunder Living Quarters, there's one spot hotter than anywhere else by several orders of magnitude. This spot sinks so far below the ground that the Maximum Offender Lockup uses its heat to keep warm. Why such a hot spot exists is a matter of legend.

"They say that far back, when the Central Shadow Realm was still under construction, something large and unspeakably powerful burst out of the ground when they were working on that section and attacked the city. The more monsters that attacked it, the stronger it grew, but when a group of dragons tried to help it, the creature turned on and killed them. Apparently it preferred to fight alone.

"Finally, the original Mr. Volcano charged the creature alone, using a Pump Up cube on himself in the process. The resulting collision killed both of them, caused an explosion that could be seen from Toon World, and left that hot spot; no monster has ever figured out how to extinguish it.

"Some people say that certain Fire monsters worship that spot, and are trying to raise another one of those monsters from it, convinced that the monster will burn the Central Shadow Realm down and create a burning kingdom amid the ashes. That monster is referred to only as 'the Infernal Incinerator'.

"Of course… It's all according to rumor…"

"Well, what are we going to do now?" asked Sonja.

EZ thought.

"Well…" he said. "We're up against a Vampire Lord, and those guys tend not to get into many fights. They have henchmen at all levels to take care of problems…

"And I happen to know someone who has worked for most of them…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

EZ sighed as he looked at the door that lead to the Dead End Cantina…

Why was he always going into seedy bars. This place was dangerous… Someday the Dark Ruler might figure out that folks were plotting against him here, and burn the place down.

He wouldn't want to be here when that happened…

The Hitotsu-Me Giant let him in, and he looked around.

The Princess of Tsurugi was still tending the bar, serving an Oscillo Hero and a Ryu-Kishin Clown. A Fire Sorcerer sat alone in the corner, sipping from a beer glass. She nervously looked at EZ as she passed by. At one table was a trio of Monsters who were usually found together: three Magnet Warriors, one Gamma, one Beta, and one Alpha.

Those guys were strange. They were Rocks, but they looked more like Machines. They didn't act like Machines… Machines were often devoid of emotion, but Magnet Warriors could be very friendly.

The strange about them was, three of them could fuse together into a very powerful creature called a Valkyrion, and they did NOT need a Polymerization cube to do so. However, they only rarely did – maybe they couldn't choose when they could do it.

Some Monsters had tried questioning them about how they could do it, thinking, perhaps, that with conditioning – or something – a fusion monster could be created simply by the two monsters' personal power. But the Magnet Warriors professed that they just didn't know how they did it – it just seemed to happen.

In any case, he wasn't interested in them. His target was at another table.

The female Warrior at the table wasn't exactly the most fashionable monster. She wore a green halter with her navel exposed, a short green skirt, and knee-high green boots. She also wore a tattered black cape and a fedora-style hat with a feather stuck in it.

Whoever had designed the clothes for Warrior Ladies of the Wasteland had pulled a mean trick on them…

She was chewing on pretzels and drinking from a glass of dry sherry. EZ never trusted this Warrior, but he was going to have a chat.

"Hello, Emthree," he said, sitting at the table.

She glared at him.

"Oh, am I interrupting something?" asked EZ. "What, is your victim about to come in? If you want, I can wait until after you drive a knife between his ribs, and…"

"Take a job as an underworld assassin once," she growled, "and you never hear the end of it…"

She finished the sherry and motioned to a waiter.

"What do you want, EZ?" she asked.

"You know a bit about the Vampire Lords, Emthree…" he started.

"And what of it?" she asked. "I have no loyalty to them… That's how it is for a mercenary, you work for a guy, do some simple jobs, and then move on to the next one…"

"Is there anyone you wouldn't work for?" asked EZ.

"Everyone except Ha Des," she replied. "But if the money is good, I don't care…"

"Quite the an attitude," growled EZ. "I wonder if folks like you care about anyone but yourselves."

The waiter came up.

"Gin and tonic, please," said EZ.

"You calling me selfish?" asked Emthree. "Well, maybe I don't care about others, but if looking out for myself is wrong, everyone is wrong."

"And to think we used to be friends…" muttered EZ.

"Look…" she said, "friendship is a two-way street. So why don't you stay on your side of the street, and I'll stay on mine."

"Whatever," said EZ.

He placed a twenty on the table.

"I need information on the Vampire Lords and what they're up to, and I think this is worth something."

She paused.

"Forty," she said.

"Oh, all right!" he shouted, taking another twenty from his pocket. "But this better be good."

She took the money and tucked it into her halter.

"The Vampire Lords are a strange bunch," she said. "I worked for all of them but two. The two I didn't work for are ones that the other Lords avoid.

"No one associates with Malkav. He's completely insane, and best avoided by everyone.

"They tend to avoid Kardok too. He lives in the Beast and Winged-Beast Quarters for some reason. The other lords call him the 'the Farmer', and tend to ignore him.

"As far as status goes, Galbrade is the one on top. Mainly because he's the guy behind the guy who runs Thaumus Inc…"

"The factory that makes Polymerization cubes?" asked EZ.

"Among other things," she replied. "He's the best one to work for. He has the most money.

"At the other end there's Deacon. They lost all respect for him after he was humiliated by some mess a couple years ago. He's the butt of a lot of their jokes.

"The others have a lot of… eccentricisms. Ruthven is known for keeping three Shadow Tamers as brides rather than Vampire Ladies. You can probably guess what the other Lords say about _him_…"

The waitress set the drinks on the table.

"But all in all," she continued, "I've never seen anything really sinister, aside from the fact that they have a creepy taste in décor and sleep in coffins, usually during the day. But if unless you consider trying to do all you can to gain financial clout evil…"

"That's exactly what Samedi told me, and he sicced a gang of Archfiends on me," interrupted EZ.

"Ah, yes, Baron Samedi…" muttered Emthree. "Strange, the last Lord I worked for was Frost, and he was telling me about Samedi. He warned me about working for him, but then again, they don't like each other that much…

"He said Samedi was working on a secret project, but he was very closemouthed about it. It dealt with alchemy and strange rituals…"

"I see…" muttered EZ.

"Of course," continued Emthree, "he isn't going to tell you what he's up to, and even the Dark Scorpions would have a hard time breaking into Samedi's penthouse. They'd have to get past his doorman…"

"Doorman?" asked EZ.

"Yeah, well, more of a guard that he keeps at the front door. It's a…"

She paused for a few seconds.

"A what?" asked EZ.

Emthree bent over and whispered in his ear.

"A Ryu Kokki?" exclaimed EZ.

Everyone turned and noticed this. A glass fell and broke.

"Yeah…" said Emthree. "Getting past one of those would be rather hard, wouldn't you say?"

EZ nervously finished the gin, and then got up.

"Nice seeing you again…" he said, with a tremble in his voice.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Those loser cops are asking about this all over the Level Four part of town," said Natasha with a smile. "They'll never find it there."

Samedi looked at the strange spell cube.

"Excellent," he said. "This was the last piece of the puzzle…"

"Is it really…" started Natasha.

"Yes," answered Samedi. "A useful tool of my old mentor's own design…

"And making another won't be hard…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"A Ryu Kokki?" gasped Sonja.

EZ nodded as he poured something from his bottle into a shot glass.

"I heard stories about them," muttered Sonja. "All of them gruesome and unpleasant."

"Figures," said EZ. "Not even the most powerful Warrior or Spellcaster could truly defeat one and survive…

"Because even if he killed it, the thing would take him to the Graveyard with it…"

They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"There's got to be some spell or trap that could help…" said Sonja.

"Sure there are," answered EZ. "Lots of them. But all of them are either illegal for anyone but the police to use, or just plain illegal. And I'm not a cop anymore."

He leaned his head on his hand.

"Sonja, why don't you go home," he said. "I'm sure I'll think of something by tomorrow…"

As Sonja left, he leaned on his desk.

"Sure…" he said. "What could a civilian PI come up with that could take out one of those… things…"

He stared at the wall for a long time. The clock ticked out the time…

Then a shadow appeared in the door…

EZ paused, as the door slowly opened.

He was shocked by the visitor, whom he only vaguely recognized.

"Sally?" he asked.

Sally had grown about two feet, and had gotten a much better wardrobe. She was wearing a black, formal dress, and her bunny-eared hood was more like a crown. Her hair had transformed to braids, and she held an elaborate golden staff.

"Well," he said with a smile. "You did it… Princess Curran."

Sally blushed. She sat down.

"Yes, and everything is fitting into place," said Sally. "I was offered a much better job by someone with… a lot of influence. A powerful Spellcaster who was looking for someone like me."

"Care to tell me?" asked EZ.

"Uh…" said Sally. "The Sorcerer of Dark Magic. He needed a secretary, and since I have such a royal look… It pays a lot…

"But, uh… I kind of overheard. Ryu Kokki, huh?"

"Sadly, yes…" said EZ.

"Well, I really just came to say hi," she said, getting up. "We may not see each other again, unless you come to the Spellcaster Penthouses where my new employer is…"

She leaned over and kissed him.

And she pushed a small piece of paper into his hand.

"Whatever you do," she said, "good luck."

As she left, EZ looked at the slip of paper…

It was an address to a shop in the Low Level Spellcaster Quarters…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Raelvion was known to staunchly support the rights of low level Monsters, so it was with little wonder that the Low Level section of the part of the city that fell under his jurisdiction was incredibly clean and well maintained. It still wasn't the best place to live, but the monsters here were a little better off than most monsters of their level.

EZ looked at the shop in front of him. It was named "Knick Knacks", and seemed to be some sort of curiosity shop.

He walked in, to the sight of shelves full of odds and ends, and tables crowded with weird objects. This store likely sold things that no one really needed… or wanted.

"Hello?" he said.

"Oh, a customer…" said a high voice.

A strange creature came out of a back room. EZ frowned. It was a bug-like humanoid with six arms, wearing a baggy robe.

A Magical Merchant.

These guys were technically Insects, but they'd never survive long in the Plant and Insect Living Quarters. They stayed in this part of town, where they salvaged for junk and odd items, trying to make a living with strange wares.

"So, what can I do for you?" asked the Merchant. "I've got scarves…"

It picked up a bunch of scarves.

"I've got red, blue, purple, plaid, poka-dot…"

"Uh, no…" answered EZ. "I was wondering…"

"I got these cigarette lighters," said the Merchant. "Always useful…"

"No thanks, uhm…" said EZ.

"How about this?" it asked, holding up a staff with a crescent moon on the end. "A Magician of Faith dropped this before she kicked the bucket…"

"Look, enough!" shouted EZ. "I was wondering if you had something that could defeat a Ryu Kokki."

"Oh, so you want information…" said the Merchant. "Well, for the right price I could…"

"I'm really low on funds right now…" interrupted EZ. "Unless what you tell me is truly useful…"

The Merchant sneered at him.

"Come with me…" it said.

It lead him outside.

"See that sign?" it asked. "Do you see the words 'free information' on it?"

"No…" muttered EZ.

"Look at it with this magnifying glass," said the Merchant, holding a glass up. "Do you see 'free information' now?"

"No…" answered EZ.

"Well…" said the Merchant, "that's because I don't give out free information! Get lost!"

It stormed in and slammed the door.

One minute later, EZ threw the door open.

"Buddy, you are really trying my patience!" he growled.

He grabbed the Insect by the neck.

"What do you know about defeating a Ryu Kokki?"

"Have you tried using a Raigeki?" asked the Merchant.

"Be serious!" shouted EZ.

"Look, fellah," answered the Merchant. "The best advice I can give you for dealing with one is, _don't_."

"Fine…" muttered EZ, releasing it. "I'll find another way to get to Samedi."

He stormed out of the shop.

"WARRIOR!" screamed the Merchant. "Warrior, wait!"

He turned and saw the Merchant, running after him, panting for breath and holding a bag.

"Are you really going to fight Baron Samedi?" it asked.

"If I must…" replied EZ.

"Then you'll need _this_!" it said, holding out the bag.

"I'm sick of your bartering, Merchant!" he replied.

"This one is on me…" said the Insect.

It pulled a trap cube out of the bag.

"That's a Skill Drain!" shouted EZ. "How did a poor Level One monster like you get that?"

"Never you mind!" answered the Merchant, "but this is how you can get past that Ryu Kokki…

"You activate it, and for five minutes, all monsters within a forty-foot radius who have special powers don't have special powers, so Ryu Kokki's ability to bring instant death to Warriors and Spellcasters with one blow won't work…

"But hear my warning…

"Ryu Kokki is still incredibly strong. And this trap doesn't play favorites. It nullifies the powers of all monsters in its radius. Yours too."

"Meaning I'm just as mortal as a normal Celtic Guardian…" muttered EZ.

"…and one solid punch from that beast," said the Merchant, "and your next stop will still be the Graveyard…"

It handed the cube to him.

"Just promise me you'll get Samedi…" said the Merchant, sadly. "I lost my brother to that demon…"

"I'll try…" said EZ. "I'll try my hardest."

He looked at the powerful cube.

_But it's gonna be hard…_ he thought.

**0**

**0**

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**New Card Description**

**Crown of the Overlord (Spell Card) **

Equip Spell

Effect: When you have a Monster Equipped with this card, you can pay 500 Life Points to take control of any opposing Monster with the words "Dark World" or the word "Archfiend" in its name for one round.

_This description is included for those who want to use this Equip in a fanfiction._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_No one has ever successfully stormed the home of a Vampire Lord, but two Warriors are going to try. Preparations are made to combat the evil that seems to be coming as Baron Samedi's plan starts to reach fruition. And he has much more to protect his lair than a Ryu Kokki._

_More to come, in the next chapter, "Offerings to the Doomed"._


	9. Offerings to the Doomed

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Chapter Nine

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Offerings to the Doomed

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Exodia the Forbidden One clutched his forehead…

For some reason, the intensity of his migraine had just increased.

Two members of the Council were caught in an argument, the start of which he couldn't remember, and the end of which didn't look like was about to come any time soon.

What was it over?

Just recently, a rich deposit of Metalsilver had been uncovered in a spot in the Plant and Insect Living Quarters. However, whether the Plants or Insects had rights to it… That was up for debate. Up until now, that area had just been a fetid swamp that no one had cared about, but now that it was valuable, both the Green Phantom King and the Insect Queen claimed it was theirs.

Exodia regretted now that he didn't assign Plants and Insects to the same representative. That would have made sense, perhaps. But it didn't work out that way… The Machine King was the Plant Representative, and the Rude Kaiser was the Insect Representative. Most times, these two were allies…

This was not one of those times.

"That land has been Plant territory for the last three centuries," said the Machine King, in its usual monotone.

"That's only because Fairy King Truesdale stole it from the Queen three centuries ago yesterday!" shouted Rude Kaiser.

"Are you accusing the monsters under my jurisdiction of being thieves?" asked the Machine King, rather annoyed.

This argument was, of course, gaining both of them support from the other members of the Council, for a variety of reasons.

Raelvion and Ophelia supported the Machine King, not because they cared particularly about the welfare of Plants, but because it supported a lot of the ideas that it supported. This led to Forseti supporting the Rude Kaiser, because he usually tended to side against Raelvion.

Kalvelos supported the Rude Kaiser, because he never got along with Machine King, or any Machines for that matter. The Legendary Fisherman put his support behind the Machine, seeing as he didn't care for Insects. His type of monster looked down on them.

The Toon Gemini Elf was heartily supporting Machine King. Toon World was a big importer of Metalsilver, for various reasons, and they'd much prefer dealing with the Green Phantom King than the Insect Queen… She was scary.

D'Ampton was supporting the Kaiser for a similar reason. Both he and his employers had many uses for Metalsilver, but he was neither scared of the Insect Queen nor reluctant to deal with her. He'd prefer such powerful material in the hands of a powerful monster.

Sellick was supporting the Machine King too, because he also favored Plants over Insects. He always believed that the Plant and Insect Living Quarters would be a nice place to visit if there weren't any Insects there.

Mr. Volcano truthfully didn't care about the whole matter. He knew that both Plants and Insects didn't like him, as they tended to burn. However, he vocally supported the Kaiser, the most likely reason being because he wanted to annoy Sellick. It was no secret that the two hated each other.

Messiena was trying hard to make peace, as she always tried to in these debates. The greed that both factions were showing was disturbing, and she didn't want this to escalate into what happened the _last_ time the Plants and Insects had a disagreement.

The only one who was remaining completely neutral was Pumpking. He really didn't care about either of them. The Plant and Insect Living Quarters was far too full of life for a Zombie to ever appreciate.

"If they are indeed thieves," replied the Machine King, "perhaps I should bring up the fact that last month, a Rose Spectre of Dunn was drugged, and her sap was forcefully taken?"

"Are you saying it was an Insect who did that, you overgrown coffee pot?" screamed the Kaiser. "Where's your proof?"

**"ENOUGH!"** boomed the voice of the Forbidden One.

He slammed his fist down on the armrest of his chair so hard that it smashed to pieces.

Everyone in the room looked at the huge form of Exodia in fear…

"For the past hour…" snarled Exodia, "all I've heard are insults, baseless accusations, and claims that have no solid support behind them. The territory in question is disputed.

"From this point on, I will not stand for less than constructive ideas on how this crisis is to be solved!"

The Rude Kaiser held his head… He did _not_ want to be the one to explain to the Insect Queen that he had lost the territory.

Then, Raelvion hit the button on his podium.

Everyone turned to him.

"Uh, I have a suggestion," he said.

There was a pause.

"We're listening," said Exodia.

"Well, uh, maybe this issue could be decided by a neutral third-party," said the Dark Magician.

"Such as who?" asked the Forbidden One.

"Well… uh…" muttered Raelvion.

He paused.

"Such as… Pumpking."

Everyone gave him a strange look. The King of Ghosts looked surprised.

"Well, I know it seems like a strange choice," continued Raelvion, "but it hasn't said a thing during this whole discussion. It seems to be the only one here who has no stake in this."

Some murmurs broke out among the others.

"I have to admit, that makes sense…" muttered Forseti, "although it is a bit… odd…"

Exodia looked at Pumpking. It was indeed odd, but he knew that the Vampire Lords didn't favor Plants or Insects either. No Zombie did.

"We can take a vote on that, if Pumpking does not object," he said.

The King of Ghosts paused.

"I… guess I can do that…" it muttered.

"Very well then…" said Exodia. "To use the Zombie Representative as a neutral third-party to resolve this issue?"

The consoles flashed.

Nine aye votes and five nays.

"Approved…" said Exodia.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

EZ looked at the Trap Cube in his hand.

"A Skill Drain?" asked Sonja. "Where in Dark World did some Level One get that?"

"Dunno," said EZ, "but it's the main part of the plan. When this is active, a blow from a Ryu Kokki won't mean instant death…"

He sighed.

"But, it doesn't need that ability to smash us into paste."

"I can take it," said Sonja. "I still have a few Amazoness Spellcaster cubes that I can use."

"Oh?" asked EZ. "Somehow I doubt that a Ryu Kokki is the only thing guarding that door, Sonja. What if it was challenged by something that wasn't a Warrior or Spellcaster?"

"I have a feeling that there's at least one Magic Jammer, and maybe a Seven Tools of the Bandit set up too. I can trigger any anti-trap cubes with the Fake Trap cubes I have, but avoiding traps that counter spell cubes is going to be hard."

Sonja considered for a minute.

"Amazoness Archers won't be enough…" she muttered.

"I know…" he said. "We need some trap cubes of our own to level the playing field."

He thought for a minute.

"I'll think of something," he said. "Why don't we meet again tomorrow morning at the same time."

As Sonja left, EZ thought.

_I need something powerful,_ he thought. _I need something a high-level monster would have. I need…_

He paused.

_I need to make a phone call!_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ten minutes later, he was at a phone booth, looking at a slip of paper.

"Hello, is this Ashley?" he said. "Yeah, hi, it's me, that Obnoxious Celtic Guardian who you met when your sister ran off?

"Yes, you're welcome again…

"Look, I need some help… I need access to any heavy-duty spell or trap cubes that you could get, if a farmer could get access to such things.

"You will? Okay, I'll be waiting for you at my office."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Most monsters would be intimidated by the large Beast in the center of the floor…

But the Amazoness Blowpiper named Cora sat by the large Tiger without fear, caressing its head lovingly. To her, this was only a big kitty-cat. No Amazoness Tiger would ever harm an Amazon.

Not many folks knew how the Amazons came to acquire these Beasts. One story said that, long ago, a large troop of them wandered into the Beast and Winged Beast Living Quarters and encountered a large pride of them. They used a special ceremony to befriend the Tigers, and bond their souls to the Beasts, so that the Tigers gained power from the Amazons.

Sadly, a Tiger was one of the few dangerous monsters that Cora would get near.

"I wish I could help you, Sonja," she said, "but I'm scared of Zombies."

"You're scared of your own shadow," said Sonja with a sigh.

She sat down on the floor, which was covered with comfortable rugs made of skins.

"We've got to get some help…"

"Knock, knock," said a voice from outside the hut.

Sonja looked, as an Amazoness Swords Woman and an Amazoness Fighter entered.

She smirked. Just as Cora was her sister, Amanda and Sarah were sisters, having appeared together just eight years ago. That was the thing about Amazons – they often appeared in small groups.

"You look down in the dumps," said Sarah (the Fighter).

"Well…" muttered Sonja, "my whole earnings are going to paying that P.I., and now we have to find a way to take down a Ryu Kokki."

"Oh…" said Amanda. "Well, maybe you should see our employer…"

"I thought that Mind On Air canned you," replied Sonja.

"She did!" snapped Amanda. "We worked our fingers to the bone for that snob, and she treated us like dogs, and then had the nerve to fire us!"

"But we found a new employer," continued Sarah. "A more powerful, higher paying one that treats us with respect. She's a debutante of sorts who lives in the Spellcaster Penthouses. We think she only hired us as bodyguards for show… She's so incredibly powerful, we doubt she really needs any."

"Wait…" muttered Sonja. "You mean… the Silent Magician?"

They nodded.

Sonja rubbed her chin.

The Silent Magicians first came into existence shortly after the Day of Zorc. Most assumed that they were just another breed of Level Four Spellcaster, although a little more eccentric than most. They didn't like noise, so they always took jobs that didn't require much and required smarts, like scribes and bookkeepers.

No one even knew until ten years ago that they were leveled monsters. That's when one of them, the oldest surviving one, evolved into a Silent Magician LV 8.

And when that happened, a new power player emerged among Spellcasters. She named herself Alamere, and carved her niche in the politics of the Central Shadow Realm. Many folks believed that when Raelvion retired (if that ever happened) she would be named as his successor.

Alamere was special among high level monsters. Although she was incredibly powerful, she certainly remembered her time as a lowly Level Four monster. Thus, she cared a great deal for low level monsters, treating them in almost a maternal fashion. The "normal" Silent Magicians looked to her as a leader, but she could find time for anyone.

Stories about her sprung up quickly. Once story said that the Dark Ruler took offense at something she had said, and sent a trio of Beasts of Talwar to kill her, armed with an incredibly illegal Lightning Vortex spell cube. According to witnesses, when the Fiends triggered the deadly spell, their intended victim merely shrugged off the lethal bolts, and then blasted two of the Fiends into oblivion before they knew what hit them. Then she grabbed the third by the throat and told him to tell his boss that she would make him regret that, but not until he was ready.

Then she let him go. Whether he delivered the message or not is not clear – likely, he didn't survive long after reporting to Ha Des.

"It's technically our day off," said Amanda, "but she invited us for dinner. I'm sure she won't mind if we bring a guest. And she's sure to give you some advice."

"One warning," said Sarah. "She hates noise. So if you must speak, just whisper."

Cora curled up on the rug, hugging the Tiger.

"You go ahead," she said, nervously. "I'd be out of place there…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

EZ took a pot of coffee off the coffee maker.

"Cream, two sugars," said Ashley, who was sitting in front of his desk.

It was a while since the fateful day since EZ had encountered this Nekogal #2's sister and saved her from those two Battleguards. She had said to call her if he ever had a problem that a Level Six Monster might be able to handle, and this might qualify.

"So…" she asked. "You're going against a Ryu Kokki? That's suicide…"

EZ smiled and showed her the Skill Drain cube.

"I see…" said Ashley. "Well then, I just might be able to help. I'm so paranoid about trying to protect Alice, I invested in a few good trap cubes… I can spare one, but it will only help if you do not take it on alone."

"I have a partner," said EZ.

Ashley took a trap cube from her purse. She handed it to him.

"I tell Alice to always try to stay by me when we're in public," she said. "I tell her that if something attacks her, to just activate this. We only had to use it once, and that was on a Panther Warrior who was on the sauce.

"Use this wisely. It will give you an edge if you face it with someone on your side and he's strong enough."

EZ looked at it. The CSRPD had always been cautious about traps like this, because they were risky…

But it seemed like a good idea.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Sonja really felt out of place.

For one thing, she was in the Spellcaster part of town, a place where Warriors rarely went.

For another thing, she was in the Penthouses, the part of town where the crème de la crème of the Spellcasters lived. Among the bigwigs who could be found here were the Sorcerer of Dark Magic, Linnalee (the Dark Magician Girl), and two Council members, Raelvion and D'Ampton. Several Chaos Command Magicians and Magical Marionettes who had deep pockets lived here as well.

She and her two friends were riding up a private elevator leading to one of the most expensive Penthouses.

"Remember," warned Amanda, "only speak in whispers if you have to speak at all. She hates loud noises."

The elevator opened, and the three Amazons walked out. Two small forms walked up to greet them.

Sonja recognized them as ordinary Silent Magicians. They were short, wearing silvery robes with pure white hair. She guessed that they were handmaidens of some sort.

The small Spellcasters made polite bows, and then motioned for them to follow. They led the three Warriors down a long hallway that Sonja couldn't help but stare at. It seemed this whole place had a crystal theme. Light was reflected from the walls and sparkling colors danced within the crystal.

They entered a large study full of comfortable – looking furniture. As Sonja sat down, one of the Magicians held up a brandy bottle and motioned with it.

She was about to answer, but then remembered the "don't talk unless you have to rule". She simply nodded.

As the first Magician filled brandy glasses, the second one gestured, and a fire lit in the fireplace.

Amanda whispered in Sonja's ear.

"Don't be intimidated," she said, softly. "There's a surprise around every bend in this place, but Alamere won't hurt you unless you give her reason to."

At that moment, a set of doors opened at the far end…

Sonja would never forget her first view of Alamere. The Silent Magician stood a full seven feet tall, and as curved as any Amazon. Her fancy robes and peaked hat shone with pure light, and her eyes were pools of bright light, her long hair shining platinum. Her long scepter was tied to her belt.

One of her handmaidens handed her a glass of brandy, and she nodded. Then she walked over and nodded to acknowledge Amanda and Sarah.

Then she looked at Sonja. She stared her in the eye for a minute.

Sonja didn't know what to do. She didn't want to offend her host…

But that was solved when she heard Alamere's soft whisper speaking to her:

"You are clearly a friend of my employees, young one," said the Spellcaster, "and I can tell you are troubled…

"Clearly a monumental task exists in your near-future that you seek help with."

"Yes, ma'am," she whispered. "Me and a friend of mine need to defeat a Ryu Kokki who's guarding something important."

Alamere looked hard at her.

"I see…" she whispered. "Strange… I fought one of those nightmares five years ago. An upstart of a Lesser Fiend took control of it with a Snatch Steal cube and sent it after me.

"Fortunately, ever since I evolved, I've found myself resistant to spell cubes, other than ones I used on myself. That Fiend couldn't do much to me with them. And once I realized that a Snatch Steal was controlling it, I blasted it apart with one of these…"

She reached into her robes and pulled out a spell cube.

Eternal Rest.

Alamere took a sip of her brandy, and Sonja couldn't help but stare. Her skin looked so pure, she could almost see the liquid trickling down her throat.

"The Fiend begged for mercy, but he did not get it," she whispered.

"Sonja, I've always believed that if an opponent is too strong for you, then you must simply outsmart it. And that is Ryu Kokki's weakness. It is all brawn and no brains. It wouldn't be hard to trick one into running off a cliff if you planned ahead.

"The power that this creature has to kill Warriors with its touch I cannot help you with, but I will tell you, whoever set it as a guard likely set one of two strategies:

"He will have set an Imperial Order trap cube, and support the beast with traps…

"Or, he will have set a Royal Decree trap cube, and support the beast with spells.

"I'll make you an offer, Sonja… What is your current state of employment?"

"Uh…" muttered Sonja. "I'm helping my sister make and sell jewelry and tapestries."

Alamere nodded.

"Well…" she answered, "your friends work as my bodyguards, and I have positions available. I could use you and your sister."

Sonja didn't answer. This would pay more, certainly… She didn't know if Cora would agree to it though…

"If you agree," said Alamere, reaching into her robe, "I will offer these as an advance."

She held out four trap cubes.

All four were Seven Tools of the Bandit.

Sonja slowly took them.

"Whether you use them or not depends on what strategy your foe uses, and whether your own strategy depends on trap cubes or spells cubes. One of these cubes can destroy a Royal Decree if you use it at the exact instant it is triggered."

"Okay…" said Sonja. "But my sister would much prefer working as one of your handmaidens than a bodyguard."

"If she desires," said Alamere.

Then a light flashed above them.

"Well, our dinner is served," she said. "Once we eat, I'll have someone give you the application papers."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Baron Samedi was reclining on an armchair, speaking on a phone.

"Really, Galbrade?" he asked. "That's interesting…"

He paused.

"Well, who would you prefer?"

Another pause.

"That's what I figured… I'll support whoever you support…"

He hung up.

"Natasha?" he said, walking up to where his bride had been watching, "seems we need a few more nature excursions…"

"I thought that you had enough poisons and toxins," asked Natasha.

Samedi hugged her.

"That overgrown fruit on the Council has been chosen to resolve an issue between the Green Phantom King and the Insect Queen," said Samedi, "one involving a rich deposit of Metalsilver. That fool Pumpking doesn't think it matters, but it does…

"Metalsilver is quite useful… It's good in making things that dampen magic, trap cubes like Magic Jammer and Spell Shield Type-8…

"And we're going to see to it that the Green Phantom King gets a hold of it. He'd be much easier to deal with than the Insect Queen. And there are a few Dark Plants, compared to no Dark Insects."

"So what do I have to do?" asked Natasha.

"You know the place like the back of your hand," said Samedi. "After Pumpking makes his decision, you'll have to make some deals with a few Mystic Tomatoes and Rose Specters of Dunn…"

"Except the one I mugged…" chuckled Natasha.

Samedi laughed and then hugged her hard.

"Oh course," he laughed. "Once my plan is complete and I'm stronger than even Galbrade, we can form an alliance between Zombies and Plants, and corner the market on Metalsilver.

"Is there anything wrong with that? I'd say it's simply good business…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

EZ and Sonja looked out the window of the office at the pale morning light.

"Well…" said EZ. "It's about time… We have to go into the lion's den, and confront it in its lair…"

Sonja looked at him.

"Sergeant…" she asked. "Why are you doing this? I mean… This is a Vampire Lord."

"I don't know…" he said. "Why are you doing it?"

"Pride…" said Sonja. "This guy gave the Amazons a bad name, and made my sister a nervous wreck. I'm going to make him pay."

EZ sighed.

"Well, lets not do this on an empty stomach," he said. "I'll go get us some breakfast. I won't be fifteen minutes…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As EZ carried a bag of muffins and two cups of coffee back to his office, he was surprised as two hands covered his eyes.

"Surprise!" shouted a voice.

EZ turned…

He saw Ninety-Nine behind him. The Hibikime was full of smiles and seemed to be beaming.

"I haven't seen you in a while," said the Guardian. "Why are you so happy?"

"Read it and weep!" laughed Ninety-Nine, pushing a sheet of paper in front of his face.

EZ looked at it… It was an order confirmation form, from Thaumus Inc.

He read.

"Order #3245621… This confirms the order of one (1)…"

He stopped short.

He continued.

"…Polymerization spell cube, paid in full."

He stared at Ninety-Nine.

"It's true!" she laughed. "I sold all my paintings! I made a fortune, and I found a Queen's Double who was more than willing! The cube is being sent special delivery by Friday, and we're gonna do it right away!"

"Who did you sell them to?" asked EZ.

"Would you believe the Dark Magician Knight?" asked Ninety-Nine. "He _loved_ them. And so did his squire!"

"Squire?" asked EZ. "Oh… that Valkyria who's always with him…"

"You remember our deal, Sergeant!" said Ninety-Nine, grinning evilly. "You agreed to rejoin the force when I became an Empress Judge!"

EZ grinned.

"I'm a Warrior of my word, Ninety-Nine…" he said, "but from what I can see, you're still a Hibikime. I'll gladly tell Gonzap I'm signing back up when I see you as an Empress Judge."

"You're only delaying the inevitable!" shouted Ninety-Nine.

"I'm very happy for both of you," said EZ, walking away.

_And I'm glad I have some time,_ he thought. _I can't rejoin the force right now… Gonzap would forbid me from going near Samedi._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

EZ remembered the scariest case that he and Elfour ever handled. An Invader of Darkness had been murdered, and they had to look through its home in the Fiend Penthouses.

All places in the Fiend Living Quarters were scary, but the Penthouses were downright horrifying. Fiends of a stature that high had horrible taste in décor and art, and a prevalent sense of despair and evil surrounded the whole place.

EZ thought there wasn't anyplace scarier…

…now that he and Sonja had sojourned into the Zombie Penthouses, he knew he was wrong.

The building in front of him wasn't so big – he assumed that most of the complex was below ground – but it was a macabre affair, with skulls topped on the gates, and twisted trees in the front courtyard.

EZ tried the front gate, and it was not locked.

"Of course…" he muttered. "Who'd be crazy enough to come here?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In a dark chamber, Samedi was adding a last ingredient to the vial of distilled lies that he had collected.

A flashing light caught his eye.

He walked over to the Senri Eye spell cube on the table. He looked at the image it was showing.

He grinned, showing a flash of small, sharp teeth…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

EZ and Sonja entered a dark foyer.

Old paintings were hanging on the walls of the round room, and a chandelier was hanging above. A door was at the opposite end.

Sonja handed him two of the Seven Tools cubes.

"Careful," she whispered.

They headed towards the door…

Sonja slowly reached for the door…

A small cube by her feet started to flash…

"Sonja!" shouted EZ.

He hit the button on one of the trap cubes he was holding, and a glowing knife shot forward, striking the trap on the floor.

Sonja backed away slowly.

"A Trap Hole…" muttered EZ. "One more second, you would have fallen, and you would have landed in the Graveyard…"

They heard a growl coming from behind the door.

"It's in there…" said EZ. "Listen closely, Sonja…"

He took two more trap cubes from his pouch.

"Here's the plan… If a Royal Decree trap is sprung, we destroy it right away. Then, I activate the Skill Drain. Then, you stand in _front_ of me, and wait for it to attack you. When it does, I'll make sure you can defeat it."

"How?" asked Sonja.

"Trust me…" said EZ with a grin.

He threw the door open…

In the dark, torch-lit room, the hulking monstrosity at the other end could best be described as half Zombie, and half landmark. Standing ten feet tall, it was made completely of skulls and bones, with an evil-looking face, and glowing eyes.

It growled as it saw the two of them…

As they stared at it, a new trap cube dropped from the ceiling.

Sonja prepared to activate one of her own cubes…

"Hold it…" said EZ. "That's Imperial Order… This might help us, actually…"

As the spell dampening trap was set off, EZ threw the two cubes in front of him...

Two trap cubes from the front of the room went off, and two Dust Tornadoes shot forward, shattering them.

"Yes!" laughed EZ. "The Fake Traps drew their fire! Now, just to make sure…"

He threw another cube…

He waited. The Bone Dragon Ogre stepped back.

No other Dust Tornado was activated.

"I guess two was the best they could do," said EZ, tossing the real trap in front of him.

The Skill Drain trap went off, and a wave of energy covered the room.

"We have five minutes," said EZ, as Sonja got in front of him. "Let's hope that's long enough…"

The Ryu Kokki looked stupidly at the two Warriors. It glared at them…

"Hey, stupid!" said EZ. "What's the matter? Too scared to face a trap cube?"

The Zombie was getting a little angry…

"Come on!" shouted EZ. "Fresh meat!"

He stamped his sword into the ground.

"Come on butt-ugly bonebag!" shouted Sonja. "Come and get me!"

The Ryu Kokki roared in rage…

Showing astonishing speed for its size, it charged at Sonja…

"You'd better know what you're doing…" she muttered, raising her sword.

As the huge Zombie's fist plummeted towards the Amazon, EZ activated the trap in his hand, and Sonja felt her muscles bulge…

She leapt up, and slashed with her sword, and the Zombie was thrown backwards. It crashed against the opposite wall, and smashed into shards of bone.

Sonja panted for breath…

She turned to EZ, who was holding a burned out trap cube…

"What was that called again?" she asked.

"Covering Fire," he replied. "A trap that only works when you use it to support someone else. It added my strength to yours when it attacked.

"The police department uses them, but only sparingly. They can be dangerous if the timing is off."

They slowly approached the door, but no more traps hinders them. Opening it, a stairway going down into darkness loomed before them.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Samedi rubbed his chin as the Dokurorider stood behind him.

"Oh, they are worthy foes," he said. "Not just any Warriors can take down a Ryu Kokki."

He went to a safe in a wall and opened it.

"Best break out the heavy artillery, wouldn't you say, Zero-Five?"

"If you say so, boss," said the Zombie.

The Vampire Lord handed him a spell cube.

"You know what to do," he said. "Time to truly test that little thing that Ha Des gave us."

"Gotcha!" said Zero-Five.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At the bottom of the stairway was an enormous chamber that looked like a warehouse. Crates and boxes were piled all over the place.

"Does Samedi come through here every time he comes home?" asked Sonja.

"Probably not," answered EZ. "He and his servants and guests likely have their own entrance, that leads right to the living quarters. But everyone else has to come in the _hard_ way."

He stopped short.

He pointed to the floor, where a metal trap door, twenty feet across, was situated in the center. A lever was next to it…

They heard a noisy roar, and in a cloud of smoke, Zero-Five rode into the room on his strange mount.

"Hello, Sergeant," he said, dismounting. "Glad you could make it. Thought we'd give you two a little present, courtesy of the Dark Ruler Ha Des…"

"Ha Des?" asked EZ. "I'm not afraid of any of his Fiends…"

Zero-Five pulled the lever, and the trap door slowly opened.

"Actually, this is a Machine that he stole from the Machine King," said the Dokurorider.

"I've seen plenty of Machines in my time!" exclaimed EZ.

"Not this one, you haven't," answered Zero-Five.

A huge shape started to rise out of the pit…

"Heh, heh…" chuckled the Zombie. "This thing was so dangerous, only the Machine King could control it. When it appeared in the Machine Habitation, someone called it an Ancient Gear Golem, and the name kind of stuck…"

The huge Machine loomed over them, a single red eye glaring at them. The whole thing seemed to be made of gears, pistons, cogs, and camshafts, and while it looked rickety and jury-rigged, it was clearly a smoothly running and deadly device.

"This thing is estimated to be just as strong as a Blue-Eyes White Dragon," said Zero-Five. "We don't really know if that's true or not, but you're gonna find out firsthand."

"Well then…" said Sonja, taking one of her Amazoness Spellcaster cubes, "we always wondered just how powerful this spell was… Time to find out!"

"SONJA, NO!" shouted EZ.

EZ pointed.

Zero-Five had a Spell Cube of his own in his hand.

"That's just what he wants you to do…" he warned.

"Oh, Sergeant…" said Zero-Five. "You are such a party-pooper…"

He activated the spell cube.

"WHAT?" shouted EZ. "That's a Limiter Removal! Do you have any idea how illegal that spell is?"

"Go tell it to someone who cares!" laughed the Zombie.

The gears and pistons on the Ancient Gear Golem started to pound wildly, and it raised its arms as its strength shot to levels it was never meant to…

"So now what?" asked Sonja.

"I don't know…" said EZ. "As much as we prepared, we didn't count on something even worse…"

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_**Don't miss "Order to Charge", coming soon.**_


	10. Order to Charge

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**CHAPTER TEN**

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**Order to Charge**

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Two panicked Warriors ran across the huge storeroom, as the thundering footsteps of what the Dokurorider called an Ancient Gear Golem boomed behind them.

"Run, fools, run," laughed Zero-Five. "Run until it squashes you flat!"

The huge Golem slammed its fist downwards, narrowly missing EZ and Sonja, but causing a shockwave that threw them into a pile of boxes.

They huddled in fear. The Golem looked around. It apparently didn't see them.

"Well, one thing is in our favor," said EZ. "It seems this thing is more or less mindless… All it can do is make a full frontal attack. But with Limiter Removal, that attack will be lethal."

"What is Limiter Removal?" asked Sonja.

"An incredibly illegal spell cube," answered EZ. "When used on a Machine, the Machine's strength is doubled. The reason it's illegal is because, after a few minutes, the Machine overloads and either explodes or falls apart. Either way, it doesn't survive."

"Well, how long do we have before the spell kills it?" asked Sonja, nervously.

"Depends on how strong the Machine is," answered EZ. "I once saw a Cyber Tech Alligator survive for fifteen minutes, and they're Level Five."

Ancient Gear Golem loomed over them…

They rolled out of the way, as its foot slammed down, trying to stomp them flat.

They started to run again.

"Level Five?" asked Sonja. "This thing is much higher than that! We'll never outlast it…"

She looked at Zero-Five.

"Hey…" she thought. "I got an idea…"

The Golem lumbered towards them…

Sonja took her Amazoness Spellcaster cube back out. She pointed it at the Golem.

"What good will that do?" asked EZ. "It won't make you stronger…"

"Maybe," said Sonja. "But if its original strength was as much as a Blue-Eyes…"

She activated the cube.

She glowed with energy. She grunted, and her muscles started to bulge…

"All right…" she said, in a deeper, huskier voice. "Now we're talking…"

Zero-Five watched with curiosity from his vantage point.

"What are they up to?" he thought.

Then Sonja grabbed EZ in her arms…

…and with three leaps, she landed right in front of Zero-Five.

"What?' shouted the Zombie. "Stay away!"

Sonja dropped EZ, and then grabbed the Dokurorider in a headlock.

"All right, pal," she said, pointing his head towards the Golem, "I'm guessing that he's gonna smash anything that gets in his way. You must have some way to take it down.

"You can't get away from me. So either drop it, or we all get smashed."

Fear appeared in Zero-Five's eyes for the first time. The Ancient Gear Golem's pistons pounded, and it marched towards the three monsters…

"My left pocket!" he shouted. "There's a Shadow Spell cube in it! I was going to use it if that thing attacked me! Please, don't let it get me!"

EZ reached into the Zombie's pocket.

He pulled out a Heavy Storm cube, two Violet Crystals, and finally, a Shadow Spell.

EZ hit the button on it, and threw it at the Golem's feet. A mass of chains erupted out of the floor, and the huge Machine was bound by them.

"That should hold him until the spell does him in," said EZ.

He turned to the Dokurorider, who was still trapped in the Amazon's headlock.

"How do we get to the boss without going through the gauntlet?" he demanded.

"Heh, heh…" laughed Zero-Five. "You go in the way you came. But you have to be a Zombie, or be escorted by one! Otherwise, you have to go the long way!"

"Okay, what creepy surprises are in the next room?" asked EZ. "Tell us."

"I don't know," said Zero-Five. "I wouldn't know…"

"Sonja, tear his arms off," said EZ.

Zero-Five gulped.

"You'll never get past the next room!" he cursed. "There are Dark Core cubes hidden in the far wall. You can't destroy them. If anyone except a Zombie crosses the red line, they get sucked into the Void.

"You'll never stop Baron Samedi's plan! He'll become more powerful than you could ever imagine! He'll be the…"

With a twist of her arm, Sonja bent him nearly double. The Zombie slumped to the ground, and then shattered into triangles.

Sweat was pouring down her face as she glowed again. The effects of the spell cube were wearing off…

And then they had another problem. The Ancient Gear Golem reared up, and then burst free of the chains.

EZ and Sonja held each other in fear, as it ran towards them. It reached for them…

…and then, with a loud groan, it bent over. Its right arm fell off and crashed to the ground, followed by its left. And then the rest of it collapsed into a pile of broken metal.

There was the longest pause…

Sonja noticed that EZ was holding her.

"Uh…" she said.

"Sorry," said EZ, releasing her.

They stopped for a few seconds to catch their breaths.

"Dark Core cubes," he muttered. "Any ideas?"

"Hmm…" said Sonja. "He said they were activated if someone crosses a red line… But what if someone were to get into the room without crossing it?"

"You have an idea?" asked EZ.

Sonja reached into her pouch and took out a trap cube.

"This is called Dramatic Rescue," she said. "It's an Amazon trap that only works if she has a partner.

"Here's what we have to do. You hold this trap. Then I enter the room and cross the line. When the Dark Core is activated, you activate this. The Dark Core will fail, and we'll switch places."

EZ thought for a minute.

"You sure that will work?" he asked. "I'm no Amazon."

"The rescued one has to be an Amazon, but the rescuer can be anyone," answered Sonja. "Although… we don't count on other folks to do it very often."

"You realize that if it doesn't work, you've got a free trip to the Void," said EZ.

Sonja shuddered.

"I'll risk it," she said.

"There is a problem," said EZ. "I'll get though, but you'll have to go back."

"I will," said Sonja, "and I'll come back, and I'll bring back help. This is heavy. I have friends. I'll try to ask them to help us."

"Okay," said EZ, taking the trap cube.

He pocketed the Heavy Storm.

"This might come in handy too," he said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The hallway gave way to a large chamber. Sure enough, a red line was painted on the floor of the room.

The two Warriors looked at each other.

"It's now or never," said EZ.

Sonja paused.

_I have to trust him,_ she thought.

Another pause.

Sonja looked at him. He palmed the trap cube.

She nodded.

She slowly walked forward, and stepped over the red line. EZ kept an itchy finger on the button of the cube…

Slowly, a dark shape appeared in front of Sonja. The Dark Core was starting to form… A portal that would devour her and throw her into the Void…

She closed her eyes.

_Don't let me down…_ she thought.

There was a flash, and her eyes flew open…

She was back at the entrance of the room, and EZ was in front of her. The Dark Core disintegrated.

"Heh, heh…" chuckled EZ. "For a minute there, I thought that you thought…"

"I don't think it any more," said Sonja. "I can truly say that I trust you now.

"Be very careful, EZ. I'll get help, and come back as soon as I can. Give me three hours."

She ran back the way she came.

EZ ran forward, out of the dangerous room.

_So…_ he thought, _What dangerous traps have you set in my way next, Samedi?_

He walked down a dark hallway, towards an archway.

A wide, circular room loomed ahead of him. It seemed empty at first glance…

And then he saw ten trap cubes placed on the floor.

He hesitated. He wasn't sure what they were, but he was sure they were deadly. They could be Trap Holes, Widespread Ruins, or even Torrential Tributes set to activate whenever someone even entered the room.

He grinned.

_What am I worried about?_ he thought. _I lifted a Heavy Storm from that guy. I can blow all those traps away!_

He lifted the powerful spell cube, and hit the button. It burst, and a fierce wind erupted over the room…

The trap cubes started to glow… And then they burst, releasing a cloud of white mist…

EZ stepped back…

Ten creatures rose out of the mist. Colored gold, they looked like crosses between bugs and snakes, with small claws, and golden headdresses on their heads.

"Very tricky, Samedi," said EZ, raising his sword. "Rigging a room with a bunch of Statue of the Wicked Cubes…

"Well, a workout might help whet my appetite…"

He lifted his sword.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Lady Ninja Yae called LNY-011-C sat in a police interrogating room, her hands cuffed, and a look of fright on her face.

She had gone through one of the most frightening experiences a criminal must undergo in the justice system – facing one of the Monarchs.

In this case, it had been Thestalos. Facing any of the Monarchs was an intimidating situation, seeing as each of them was fifteen feet tall, but Thestalos's court was a hellish place, where the flickering of flames burned everywhere.

She had been scared even before she saw the Firestorm Monarch. He was known for ordering the most executions of the four. She hadn't done anything that demanded capital punishment, but there were many rumors going around that he often ordered a beheading simply because he could.

Little hope was left in her. She was likely going to be tucked away for a good long while…

She had made up her mind…

She was going to accept the offer.

Gonzap entered the room, followed by a Marauding Captain and a Goblin Calligrapher. The Captain was there to handle her if she tried something – Gonzap was not going to dirty his hands. Goblin Calligraphers were good for only one thing – taking notes. So everyone used them for that.

"Okay, Eleven," said Gonzap. "You heard what his judgment was. You spill your guts about your supplier, and he'll cut your prison sentence in half. I'd say that he was being much more merciful than he usually is."

Eleven sighed.

"Okay…" she muttered. "I've been getting the traps from Baron Samedi."

Gonzap motioned to the Goblin, and it wrote the name down in its notebook.

"He likes strange traps and spells," she said. "He himself was getting them from the Dark Ruler, but I don't know where they originally came from. And he told me he could supply me with better ones. Embodiments of Apophis, Rings of Destruction…

"And he has a lot of powerful spells too. He talked about Dark Cores…"

"Dark Cores?" exclaimed Gonzap in shock.

"Yeah," said Eleven. "He said he could get anything."

_Good grief,_ thought Gonzap, _maybe we can learn more if we get Thestalos to make an even better bargain!_

"Oh, and get this…" she continued.

"He said he was planning something, and it required a trap that was very hard to get. I'm certain that it wasn't legal."

"The name?" asked Gonzap.

"Uh, gee…" said Eleven. "Let me think… It had a funny name…"

She thought for a minute.

"Oh yeah…"

Both Gonzap and the Captain froze in fear as she spoke the name of the trap.

The Goblin didn't know enough about it. It simply wrote the name down as she said it.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Sonja was quite out of breath when she ran out of the train station near the Amazoness Complex.

She ran towards the front gates, and nearly bumped into a Swords Woman (not Amanda) and a Chain Master.

"Gee Sonja," muttered the Chain Master. "You look like you just went ten rounds with a Des Kangaroo."

"We have a problem," said Sonja. "Get Amanda and Sarah and meet me in my place. They're back from work, right?"

"Yeah, but…" said the Chain Master.

"I'll explain latter…" said Sonja.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

EZ sat down among the shattered remains of the ten Wicked Statues. Perspiration was running down his face.

He took a trap cube out of his pocket. It was a Nutrient Z cube. This formula gave you energy that was both stronger and safer than the dreaded Poison of the Old Man, but it was very expensive. He likely wouldn't get another one until he rejoined the force… If he ever did.

He shrugged. He didn't want to let it go to waste. He pressed the button, and it transformed into a colored bottle with the number 4,000 on it. He unscrewed the top, and slowly drank the liquid inside. It tasted terrible, but he felt the soreness in his muscles healing, and his body filling with energy.

Feeling invigorated, he walked on to the next room.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Four Amazons – two Swords Women, one Fighter, and a Chain Master – were facing the Paladin in front of them, while her sister, a Blowpiper, simply sat in a corner petting her Tiger.

"That is interesting," said Amanda, crossing her arms. "And just why should we risk life and limb for this guy? What has he ever done for us?"

"He took care of that Vorse Raider who told you he was going to have you locked up," said Sonja.

The Swords Woman bowed her head.

"It isn't right," said Sarah. "People like him have caused us nothing but trouble… What is it, Sonja? Do you have feelings for this guy?"

"Not feelings like you might think…" said Sonja. "I first went to him as a last resort. I thought it would never be anything but business…

"But working with him… It's changed. He became more than an associate… he became a partner.

"And curse me if you want for saying this, but he's not a partner now… He's a friend too.

"I can't let him face Samedi alone…"

The four other Amazons looked at each other.

"So…" muttered the Chain Master. "Who feels like taking on a Vampire Lord?"

Sonja grinned.

"My sisters…" she said. "I owe you…"

"Yeah, you owe us big!" said Sarah.

"I'll come too!" shouted Cora.

They all turned to her.

"Really, Cora?" asked Sonja. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah…" she said, getting up. "I'll help… Zombies or no Zombies. Magic or no magic. I'm going to prove once and for all I'm not a coward!"

The Tiger growled a little.

"There's just one little thing I want you all to do…" she said.

"What?" asked Amanda.

"Talk me out of it!" she squeaked.

"Cora!" snapped Sonja. "You just stay next to Sweetums there, and you'll be fine."

Cora looked at the Tiger.

"Okay…" she said, softly.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As EZ wandered through the dark rooms, they got even darker…

As the darkness got thicker, fear began to creep into his bones.

He saw a pair of lights up ahead… Were they eyes, watching him?

He paused.

EZ knew the stories of the Zombies whose species name was Despair From the Dark. Five of them were believed to exist. One of them – the "white sheep" of the species – was civilized, as much as a Zombie could be, and owned one of the Penthouses just down the street from here.

The other four were predators who hunted in darkness. A universal rule in the CSR was never to enter a dark alley if you literally could not see past the entrance.

Was a Despair From the Dark lurking in here, ready to devour him?

_Sergeant…_ said a soft voice. _Why are you here, Sergeant?_

EZ drew his sword.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

_Why do you continue?_ asked the voice. _You're no cop, and yet you still put your life on the line to help that Amazon._

How do you know she's even coming back? She may have run in fear and left you to die.

"No!" shouted EZ. "She wouldn't have…"

_So you say…_ said the voice. _But I sense doubt. You are full of doubt, Sergeant. That is why you won't join the force again. Ninety-Nine won that wager you made with her, but you haven't gone back to Gonzap yet…_

"I will!" he replied. "You think I want an Empress Judge mad at me?"

_You're afraid of an Empress Judge, but not afraid of a Vampire Lord?_ asked the voice.

EZ stopped short.

"You're right!" he said. "And I won't have to!

"Lightning won't strike me twice, and I won't have to make that choice again. I've been afraid for nothing!

"And if you think you can mess with my mind, pal, you are sadly mistaken. I have more willpower than you can…"

_I guess I can't…_ said the voice. _But why such devotion to Elfour? Did she truly care for you? Did she ever say "I love you"?_

EZ paused.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

For a minute, he was back at Toon World, and it was snowing a light snowfall.

"Happy All Shadow's Beginning," said the Lady Assailant of Flames next to him, handing him a small box.

EZ slowly opened it.

"Elfour…" he muttered. "You can't afford this…"

"Some guy in the Pyro and Thunder Living Quarters owed me a favor," she said. "Besides, your special, buster."

She kissed him.

He kissed her back.

"Love you…" she whispered.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Yes…" he said, "she did tell me she loved me. And I'll fight every battle in her name! Once I'm done with Samedi, I'll stop hiding. And I'll stop blaming myself."

He saw the glowing eyes again.

_So be it,_ said the voice. _Sleep, Sergeant…_

EZ felt his eyes grow heavy.

"No…" he muttered, as he grew tired. "Stay back… don't come…"

He collapsed.

The darkness fell away.

An Invitation to a Dark Sleep appeared over him.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Wake him up," said Samedi's voice.

The Spellcaster waved his hand, and EZ slowly came to.

He was sitting on a couch in a creepy study. The Invitation was standing over him, and Baron Samedi was standing in front of him. Behind him were four Opticlops and Morphenian.

"Welcome, Sergeant," said the Vampire Lord. "I brought you here because I want you to witness my finest hour…"

"Do tell…" said EZ.

Samedi turned to Morphenian.

"Meet with Natasha and prepare the ceremony," he said.

Morphenian nodded, and ran from the room.

"You've probably figured it out by now," said Samedi. "I intend to evolve into the Vampire Genesis.

"All I needed to do was distill an evil concept, such as lies, and taint it with the symbol of a Fiend Lord's authority. I used the Crown of the Overlord. Now, I need only perform the final ceremony, and I can make the transition.

"And then… I will be the ruler of the worlds of business, politics, and finances! I'll be the biggest among the Vampire Lords. A giant among giants!"

"Yeah?" asked EZ, getting a little angry, "get used to disappointment!"

A spell cube appeared from under his sleeve, and a Fusion Sword Murasame Blade, his most valuable weapon, appeared in his hand.

Samedi stepped back.

"Put him back to sleep!" shouted the vampire. "Quickly!"

It was too late. With one swipe of his blade, EZ slashed though the Spellcaster, and it fell to the ground before shattering into pieces.

Samedi put his fingers in his mouth and whistled…

Then, four more Opticlops, and two Beasts of Talwar appeared from a set of Dimensionholes.

"I tire of this, Sergeant," he said. "It's time we ended this relationship…"

"Hey, fang-face!" said a female voice. "You ever hear of the term 'fair fight'?"

The door was kicked open, and Sonja leapt in. Behind her was her sister, holding Sweetums by a leash, followed by the two Swords Women, one Fighter, and one Chain Master.

"What?" said Samedi. "How did you get here so soon?"

Sonja held up a trap cube that had been burned out.

"Your servant told us that the way to get down here safe was to be accompanied by a Zombie," she said, "and I saved this DNA Surgery cube."

"You turned yourself into a Zombie?" asked EZ.

"Yeah!" exclaimed Amanda. "And it was really disgusting! I almost lost my lunch!"

EZ closed his eyes.

"Thanks, all of you…" he said.

"Hey, we're doing this for Sonja, not for you," said Sarah.

She turned to Samedi.

"So it seems like more of an even fight now, vampire," she said. "Want to get dirty?"

"My dear…" said Samedi, "if you want a fight, we'll be happy to oblige…"

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Far from the Central Shadow Realm, was a deep cave made up of four separate caves.

The first cave was guarded by an Ultimate Obedient Fiend. Exodia pulled this beast out of Dark World and imprisoned it in unbreakable chains, forcing it to guard this station.

The second cave was guarded by the Gate Guardian. This being that had once been three long ago swore loyalty to Exodia, and it was tasked with the second defense.

The third cave was guarded by the Airknight Parshath. A hero of the First Dragon War, he defended this important post with the powerful Excalibur.

Beyond him was the Iron Door, which held Exodia Necross prisoner. In front of it was a shrine, attended by Archlord Zerato and his assistant, a Kotodama. Zerato had once been a noble of the Higher Planes, and would return there if he was ever needed. He served Exodia via his free will, hoping that his own holy energy would keep Necross sedated and asleep.

The Archlord paused.

"Evil lurks in the air," he said. "I can feel it."

The Kotodama could not speak, but it was a very good listener. It nodded.

"I fear diabolic forces are at work," said the Archlord. "A battle is about to begin… The outcome will affect the Central Shadow Realm for years to come…"

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_Coming up next: What strange ritual does Samedi require to evolve into Vampire Genesis? It can't be pretty, that's for sure, and if Zerato senses turmoil, dark things might be happening soon._

Don't miss "Two Man Cell Battle", coming soon.


	11. Two Man Cell Battle

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**Chapter Eleven**

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**Two-Man Cell Battle**

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EZ let out a big sigh…

Why did that Fiend have to control Elfour's mind and force him to kill her?

Times like this, he remembered all the times he was with her on the force, all the collars and cases…

There was the time they took down C-Note Pete, a Goblin of Greed who was one of the biggest fences in the underworld. He was instantly recognizable among other members of his species, seeing as he was never without the Catnipped Kitty that he kept as a pet. Most folks assumed he worked for the Dark Ruler, but the truth was that Pete fenced stolen property for every crook in town, and answered only to himself. When EZ and Elfour finally got enough on him to make an arrest, the fat Fiend wouldn't go quietly – the two cops had to subdue his small army of thugs, which included several Avatars of the Pot and his two personal bodyguards, a Lava Battleguard and a Swamp Battleguard (two guys whom EZ had done in just a few days ago). Pete didn't give up until the Catnipped Kitty was accidentally killed in the crossfire – no one knew that he actually was very attached to it. When that happened, he was so overcome with grief that he gave up without further struggle.

A more dangerous situation came when one of the Kozakys that worked in the Work Quarters truly went too far. Kozakys were among the most valued Level One Monsters around, because they were naturally very good with mechanical devices, but still, they weren't to be trusted. They had a handicap: they liked trying new things; strange, unauthorized, and often illegal experiments, and whenever they did, the experiment usually went wrong. This one was in charge of maintaining a printing machine, of all things, but he altered it, and infused the very essence of Dark World into it. The result was a powerful but unstable creature that was later called Giant Kozaky.

Like usual, it went wrong. The guy thought he could control it, but the creature somehow started to control him. With no purpose other than to destroy, it started a rampage through the Work Quarters with its creator blissfully following.

It was Elfour who figured out how to stop it when she and EZ got there. After having zero success trying to reason with the Kozaky, she turned her weapon on him. The abomination apparently needed him to survive, and when he was killed, it exploded, taking out the building next to him in the process. The Kozaky's employer was cited and fined, and he swore he would never hire a member of that species again.

Right now, EZ looked at the pouch where he kept his spell and trap cubes…

He sighed… That trap that Elfour had given him was worth just as much as a Polymerization cube. If only fate had made them two species that could have fused together…

He wondered where she was right now… She had been a Fire Monster. Most believed that Dark Monsters went to Dark World when they died, and that Light Monsters went to the Higher Plane, but no-one was really certain where everyone else went…

He himself thought about that often, seeing as he was Earth.

But as of right now… He had to concentrate on the situation at hand.

Standing in the back of the room was Baron Samedi, a Vampire Lord who had just expressed his goal – to evolve into the Vampire Genesis. That was something EZ was _not_ going to let happen if he could help it.

Standing between him and Samedi were eight Opticlops and two Beasts of Talwar. It seemed that Samedi was in allegiance with the Dark Ruler in some way.

Not to mention the fact that his old enemy, a Patrician of Darkness named Morphenian had just fled to meet with someone else he didn't like – a Vampire Lady named Natasha. Samedi had told him to prepare for some ceremony.

Fortunately, EZ had his most powerful weapon in his hand, and he wasn't alone. He surveyed his allies…

Sonja was there, the one he knew the most about…

One of the friends she had brought appeared to be an Amazoness Fighter, not the strongest of that group, but the most intimidating. These Warriors didn't use any weapons, or so he had heard – they preferred their fists. Looking at her, he could see why.

Two of them were obviously Swords Women, apparent from the huge scimitars they had. Those weapons looked too big to be held in one hand, but they were doing so anyway.

Another was a Chain Master, the rarest type. EZ knew that chain weapons like hers were the hardest type to master, so he guessed that she was born with… well, with mastery,

The last Warrior Sonja had brought was a Blowpiper, whom he assumed was the sister she was always talking about. He knew these were the weakest Amazons, so in any conflict, they stayed to the rear, supporting their sisters with darts that were usually envenomed.

And this Blowpiper had a Tiger by a leash. These Beasts were again, a little of a mystery. They weren't much when alone, but when other Amazons were around, they got stronger…

Samedi was the first to speak.

"I never took you for much of a ladies man, Sergeant," he said. "How does a Level Four Warrior with pointy ears dressed in armor like _that_ attract women like flies?"

"You're insulting MY clothes?" asked EZ. "Have you looked at your own wardrobe lately, Samedi?"

"Touché…" replied Samedi. "You…"

He pointed to one of the Beasts of Talwar. It sheathed its swords.

"I know I can't kill you with sheer force," said Samedi, "at least not until that sword of yours wears off. So we'll just have to hold you down while we dispose of your lady friends.

"Get him!"

The Fiend flew at EZ… He stepped backwards.

"Hold on, EZ!" shouted Amanda. "We've got your back!"

She hit the button on a Spell cube, and EZ felt his muscles bulging…

Rush Recklessly…

He lashed out and slashed with the Fusion Sword Murasame Blade. The Fiend howled, and fell over.

It cringed for a few seconds, and then shattered.

Samedi covered his eyes with his hand, and gritted his teeth in anger, showing nasty fangs…

"Curse, you, you harlot!" he shouted. "Do you know how mad Ha Des is going to be when he finds out one of his personal bodyguards just got killed after he lent them out?"

"So…" said Sarah. "Those guys are Ha Des's personal bodyguard…

"Sweetums!"

Cora let go of the leash, and the Tiger roared.

"Go get 'im!" shouted Sarah.

The Opticlops scattered, and the other Beast of Talwar panicked. He turned to run, but the Tiger pounced, crushing him under her paws.

Sweetums turned towards Samedi, and eyed him, licking her lips…

Samedi grinned…

"Here kitty, kitty…" he muttered, reaching into his cloak.

"Sweetums! Watch out!" screamed Cora.

As the Tiger pounced, the vampire threw a Trap Cube, and a Spellbinding Circle formed around the Beast. She froze with in the middle of a roar.

"That won't last forever!" shouted Amanda.

"Doesn't need to!" cursed Samedi. "All of you, get them!"

"Uh, but boss…" muttered one of them, nervously.

"NOW!" he shouted angrily. "I'll triple the salary of whoever manages to kill an Amazon. And I'll pay double _that_ if anyone manages to kill that elf."

That seemed to inspire them, so the one-eyed Fiends charged.

Cora aimed her weapon at the one that made a rush for Sarah. Quickly, she put the blowgun to her lips and fired.

The Opticlops screamed as the dart hit him in the chest. The Fighter didn't give him much time. She leveled a punch to his face, and he fell over before shattering.

"I did it!" yelled Cora, in joy. "I actually did it!"

"Great, kid!" replied Sarah. "Don't get cocky!"

Another of the Opticlops faced Amanda…

Then he was shocked as the other Swords Woman sidestepped, and appeared next to her. The Fiend backed up…

With two slashes of swords, it was down.

This seemed to give two more of them an idea. They ran at the Chain Master together.

"Can't you guys do anything except just charge?" she said, pressing the button on a trap cube.

A swarm of spectral arrows shot forward, and the Amazoness Archers trap plowed into them. She twirled the chain, and they were blasted apart.

"See?" she said. "We can use traps too."

_This is bad…_ thought Samedi. _I'm too close for it to be ruined now… Have to use some strategy…_

His train of thought was almost cut off as he saw EZ and Sonja running towards him.

He concentrated, put his hands together, and the two Warriors fell over, and then slid to opposite ends of the room.

He looked at the other five Amazons. He'd have to do one thing…

Stall… And he'd have to use a powerful spell cube to do it.

He didn't have much of choice. His last grunt had just gone down.

_So hard to find good help these days…_ he thought. _Should have followed Galbrade's advice and not relied on Ha Des for everything…_

He gestured. Amanda and Sarah were yanked off their feet and hurled to the center of the room.

"Hey!" shouted Amanda. "When I get my hands on you…"

He gestured again. The other Swords Woman and the Chain Master were propelled into them.

Sarah got up, furious.

"You're just making me angry, pal…" she said.

Samedi took some deep breaths. Doing this was exhausting, but he had to do one more…

He gestured again, and Cora flew off her feet and knocked them all over.

Samedi fell to one knee and started to sweat. As fast as he could, he took a spell cube from his cloak and tossed it at them…

As they started to get up, the ground erupted in fire. A cage of flames formed around the five Amazons…

The flames solidified, turning into a steel dome studded with spikes.

"That the best you can do, Samedi?" asked EZ. "A Nightmare's Steelcage? In case you didn't notice, I'm still outside of it…"

He stood up.

"So you'd better let them out before I get mad…"

Samedi took another cube from his cloak.

"Stay back or I'll kill all five of them…" he said in a tired voice. "This is a Raigeki cube. It will blow them all to pieces with one little twitch of my thumb…"

The Amazons in the cage drew back.

"NOOO!" screamed Cora.

"You wouldn't…" muttered Sonja.

"I would…" replied Samedi, as he slowly got up.

"Actually…" said EZ. "I don't think it's a matter of whether he would or not…"

He started to walk forward.

"It's a matter of whether he can…"

"Stay back Sergeant…" warned Samedi. "I swear I'll do it…"

EZ smirked.

"Will you?" asked EZ. "You're tired from using that telekinesis or whatever it was. If you did, then what would protect you?"

"EZ, no!" shouted Sarah.

"Give me that cube, Samedi…" demanded EZ. "Do you even realize what it's capable of doing? You use it, you'll make the biggest mistake of your life… This one, and your previous one…"

Samedi stumbled backwards.

The Vampire Lord hesitated.

This Obnoxious Celtic Guardian was much smarter than he had given him credit for…

He considered his options…

The other Lords would never let him live it down if they knew he had run from a battle… Death before dishonor, that was the way of the vampire.

But then, after tonight, they would never know…

He stepped on a small button on the floor.

Three blades of pure darkness fell from the ceiling, and the whole room turned dark.

There was a long pause.

"Are we alive?" asked Cora's voice.

"Nobody move!" said EZ's voice. "That jerk tripped a Swords of Concealing Light cube… One second…"

A spark lit, and they saw him holding a cigarette lighter.

"EZ!" shouted Sonja, angrily. "You were just going to let him kill them? And to think I…"

"That was not a Raigeki cube," said EZ, looking for the spell cube. "I recognized it. It wasn't even a spell cube. They weren't in any immediate danger.

"However, the whole Central Shadow Realm might be in danger if he actually triggers it. One of the Monarchs would likely recommend use of a Capsule for someone who used one of those."

He found the spell cube and crushed it. The light slowly returned.

Samedi was gone, but the door in the back was wide open.

EZ and Sonja went to the cage.

"What in Dark World was that cube?" asked Amanda.

"Pray that you never have to experience what it does," said EZ, looking at the Steelcage. "Even owning it is committing nine felonies. Uh, ladies, I really have no idea how we're going to get you out of there…"

"It will burn out in twenty minutes!" shouted Sarah. "If that cube is as dangerous as you say, you have to stop him. Go. We'll follow when we can."

"You sure?" asked EZ.

"Just go!" shouted Sarah.

EZ and Sonja raced out the door.

The Amazons watched as they ran out.

"So…" muttered Cora, sitting down. "Anyone want to play Twenty Questions?"

"You be quiet…" snapped Amanda.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Samedi collapsed in a very large chamber. Natasha and Morphenian ran to him.

"Beloved, what happened?" asked Natasha.

"Let's just say it went bad…" said Samedi. "I'm in no condition to do the ceremony until I get my strength back…"

He paused.

"Morphenian…" he said. "You go and intercept them… Kill them if you can, delay them if you can't. If you take care of those two, you're getting a raise."

"Oh, don't worry…" said the Patrician of Darkness. "With the history I have with that meddling elvish warrior…

"I'll do him for free…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Sonja…" said EZ. "I'm really running low on cubes. What do you have left?"

"One Archers, one Spellcaster, and a little something I've said prayers to Shinato since I got it that I'd never have to use. But if we have to…"

"Gotcha…" said EZ.

He was worried himself. He had exactly four cubes, aside from the Fusion Sword. They consisted of one Rush Recklessly, one Invigoration… That trap cube he had gotten from the Sand Gambler…

…and, of course, that trap that Elfour had given him… The special occasion wasn't quite here yet.

They entered the largest room yet. It looked like a huge cavern of sorts, with a rounded ceiling. Shadows moved in flickering light.

EZ looked around.

"Look for a way…"

He noticed something walking towards them.

"Sonja, don't move…" he said.

She looked.

In front of them was a peculiar creature. It looked, for lack of a better term, like a weird clock on legs, colored blue, orange and red.

EZ stepped back nervously as it came to rest in the center of the cavern.

"What is it?" asked Sonja.

"A Jigen Bakudan," said EZ. "Elfour told me out these things… They manifest in the Pyro and Thunder Living Quarters from time to time. They're mindless, but prone to exploding, and if that happens, they can kill something as strong as…

"Well, pretty much anything…"

"Indeed…" said Morphenian's voice.

He stepped out of the shadows.

"And this one is set to go off in twenty minutes, Sergeant," he said with a smile. "Sooner if you tried to smash it. Unfortunately for you, I'm the only one who knows the way out of this room…"

EZ glared at him. Then the Patrician held up a trap cube.

"See this?" he said. "It's a Time Seal cube. It's the only thing that will stop that thing from exploding. However, if you want it…"

He pocketed the cube.

"You're going to have to _take_ it from me…"

"My pleasure…" growled EZ.

The two Warriors lifted their swords.

"Sonja, he's dangerous…" said EZ, "we'll take him together."

"Not the best idea…" said Morphenian.

EZ and Sonja charged at him.

The Patrician of Darkness raised his hand, and it glowed…

The two Warriors felt themselves losing control of their hands… They started to turn towards each other…

"EZ!" shouted Sonja.

"Sonja!" he shouted.

They both strained…

Finally, they managed to stop… EZ's sword was a foot from her neck.

"Fool…" said Morphenian. "Never attack a Patrician of Darkness in a group. He can choose who you attack. You resisted it this time, but how many times can you do so?"

EZ looked at Sonja, then he looked at his sword with a look of fright…

It had almost happened again… And this time, his partner had _not_ been brainwashed.

"I know what you're thinking, Sergeant…" said Morphenian, with a small chuckle. "Seems that anyone who works with you has to watch out more for their ally than their enemy, eh?"

EZ looked at him angrily.

"Sonja…" he muttered. "Get back… I'm handling this slimeball alone…"

Sonja backed up.

"It isn't gonna work, Morphenian," he said. "Elfour's death wasn't my fault… It was the fault of an Earl of Demise who played a cruel joke. And if that little stunt of yours just now had worked, it wouldn't have been my fault either. It would have been yours.

"No more, you hear? I'm going to stop blaming myself and blame the ones who are really responsible – murderers and thugs like you. And that goes double for your boss once I get ahold of him."

"You'll have to get through me first…" said the Zombie, taking two cubes from his robe.

He flicked them on, and two Swords of Dark Destruction appeared, one in each hand.

_Not good…_ thought EZ.

The Patrician pounced, and his weapons crashed into that of the Guardian. The first series of blows sent EZ skidding back against the wall.

Morphenian gestured, and two stalactites on the ceiling started to crack. EZ rolled out of the way as they crashed down.

"No fair…" muttered EZ.

"Wasn't aware that there were any rules…" said the Zombie, walking up to him.

EZ leapt up, just in time to avoid a downward thrust that split the boulder he had come to rest against in half.

He reached into his pouch and grabbed the first cube he touched. It happened to be the Invigoration cube. It wasn't much, but it would have to do for now. He hit the button.

A golden glow surrounded him. His muscles started to bulge, and heal a bit…

"Oh, I'm scared now…" said Morphenian, sarcastically.

Three swords clashed together, and for a minute or two, the Warrior held his ground. EZ knew at this point that he had gotten better since Richie had been killed. Even worse, this time he didn't have half the support he had back then.

The swords continued to clash, and EZ was forced backwards. Finally, he fell to his knees, struggling with his one blade against the two dark ones… Sweat appeared on his face…

He reached into his pouch and his hands closed around a cube.

The cube the Sand Gambler had given him…

Well, it was worth a shot…

Morphenian lifted his two swords, and with one mighty blow, swung them down…

…and to his surprise, they shattered against EZ's sword. Loony music started to play…

There was a long pause, and then EZ propelled himself up, and made a savage slash. The Patrician of Darkness screamed and fell to floor…

He lifted his head a little…

…and then exploded into shards.

EZ stood dumbfounded.

He looked at the trap cube as the goofy music died down and stopped.

"Fairy Box…" he muttered. "That guy was right… Thirteen isn't bad luck at all…"

"Well…" said Sonja. "One bad guy down…"

"I guess…" muttered EZ. "But we're in trouble. That Time Seal was on him when he shattered, and…"

"Ahem…" said Sonja, pointing.

There was a doorway in the far side of the room, in plain sight.

"Figures…" muttered EZ. "He always was a liar."

As they ran for the door, Sonja ventured to ask him:

"Mind telling me what that cube is that Samedi has?"

A worried look crossed EZ's face.

"Okay…" he answered. "Get this…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Baron Samedi was slowly inhaling something from a canister.

It was rumored, as noted, that healing cubes backfired on Zombies and actually hurt them, and no Zombie had been found that was willing to test it. Samedi was no exception. But there were ways for Zombies regain energy and heal wounds.

Negative Energy was a substance that could make Dark Monsters stronger and more lethal. The only problem was, in high doses, it was dangerous. There were stories of Fiends who had inhaled a great amount of the stuff and had turned into lunatics, killing everything in sight until something stronger killed them.

Smarter Monsters – like Samedi – knew how to use it in just the right doses. His energy was almost restored now, and he'd need it for the conflict he knew was coming…

Not with EZ or Sonja. He'd deal with them after he handled _another_ enemy. One that was much more dangerous.

As Natasha handed him another canister, he looked around at the specially made room. It didn't look like a place for any ceremony. It looked more like some sort of arena. Clearly, a fight was about to take place.

The beaker of distilled lies was on a table in the center, and the Crown of the Overlord was inside it.

An evil concept in distilled form, tainted with a Fiend Lord's authority. Only one thing needed to be done.

"Natasha…" he said. "Take this…"

He handed her a spell cube.

"Wait by the door. If those two meddlers get here before I'm done, use it…"

"Yes, beloved," she said.

He got up.

He went to the beaker, and started to say something. The language was True Infernus, the language of Dark World. Some said that this language was derived from Carcinnion, the language of pure Evil, and that "plain" Infernus, the language spoken by common Fiends, was derived from it. In any case, Samedi wasn't fluent in it, but he knew just enough to say what he needed.

The distilled lies turned to mist, and the Crown glowed.

"It's ready…" he said, ominously.

"Hold it right there!" shouted EZ's voice.

Samedi sighed.

"Oh, Natasha…" he muttered.

As the two Warriors rushed to the room, the Vampire Lady turned on the Spell cube, and a blast of blades made of pure light shot at the two Warriors.

EZ and Sonja were stopped fast.

"Can't move…" muttered Sonja.

"Swords of Revealing Light will do that…" said Natasha with a grin.

_Swords?_ thought EZ. _Well that figures… I'd probably use my best cubes too. Only one thing I can do…_

"Samedi, listen!" he shouted. "You claim you were once a Warrior… You must still have some of the common sense of one…

"Using that cube is a disaster waiting to happen! There's no telling what it will bring to this place!"

"I know exactly what," said Samedi, taking the trap cube from his robe. "I've been preparing this cube for months. There's no chance of a mistake.

"And be honored, Sergeant… To show I have respect for my former position, once I've achieved my goal, you and your girlfriend will be the first foes I will crush!"

"Samedi, for the love of all that's holy…" said EZ through his teeth, "do NOT use that cube…"

Samedi ignored him, and raised the cube above his head…

"Activate… Return From The Different Dimension!" he shouted.

"Super…" muttered EZ.

"You two sit tight…" said Natasha with a smile. "Now's when the real fun starts!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Not all of the Penthouses in the Zombie Living Quarters were occupied by the Vampire Lords. Just most of them.

One, as already mentioned, was owned by a Despair From the Dark. Another was owned by a Zombie who was older than any of the current Vampire Lords. He didn't like them, considering them upstarts, and also fools at times.

He was called the Spirit of the Pharaoh. If he had any other name, he didn't share it. He was very old, even by the standards of the Central Shadow Realm. He remembered both Dragon Wars, but hadn't been involved in either. He was incredibly wealthy, but the source of his wealth wasn't clear. Most assumed that he had been big and important in his youth, and simply knew how to budget.

He was a lot more approachable than most Zombies, perhaps because he was a Light Monster, unlike almost all the rest of his kind. He didn't care about politics or business or the like. He spent most of his time in study, being attended by his servants, most of which were Pharaoh's Servants and Pharaonic Protectors, with a few Nubian Guards.

Right now, he wasn't doing much… Reading from a tome on metaphysical philosophy while sitting in his study…

However, his study did have a window, and he quickly noticed when a thunderstorm started to occur… One which was apparently localized right above another penthouse down the street.

He closed the book and rubbed his chin.

He rang a bell by the side of his chair. After a minute, a Pharaoh's Servant entered.

"Yes sir?" asked the Zombie.

"Bring me the phone," said the Spirit. "Something uncouth is happening…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**_Coming up next:_**

Baron Samedi opens a portal to The Void… But why? The final part of his plan is put into play, and EZ and Sonja are helpless to do anything but watch.

"Rivalry of Warlords" is coming soon.


	12. Rivalry of Warlords

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**Chapter Twelve**

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**Rivalry of Warlords**

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**0 0 0 0 0**

Now was about the time of day that most low-level monsters got off work. The Central Shadow Realm was a big place, and it needed a lot of components for its many gears and cogs. Everyone had his place, and everyone had a position, but there was always time to relax.

In the Level Four Fiend Living Quarters, two Fiends who had worked together for five years, a Dark Titan of Terror and a Baron of the Fiend Sword (grandiose names for monsters who weren't all that formidable) sat on a bench outside of a small café.

The Baron was reading a magazine (tabloid in nature) while a cup of coffee rested by his side. The Titan was holding a newspaper in his upper two arms and holding his own coffee and a pastrami sandwich in his lower two.

Dark Titans of Terror weren't very powerful as far as Level Four Fiends went, but they'd be the first to tell you it was quite useful having four arms.

He peered over his newspaper.

"Awfully quiet all of a sudden…" he muttered.

"Mmm…" said the Baron. "Quiet…"

The Baron turned a page in the tabloid.

"Says here that the Dark Magician Knight is after Forseti's job…" he muttered.

"C-3, why do you even read those things?" muttered the Titan. "Half the time, what they say is exaggerations, and the other half of the time, it's lies…"

"Yeah, well…" muttered the Baron, "I wish it were true. I like that guy better than Forseti."

"If I were you, I'd worry more about what Kalvelos is up to…" muttered the Titan, turning the pages in his newspaper.

He paused.

"It's too quiet…" he muttered.

He looked up.

"Something is in the air…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the Warrior Penthouses, the aforementioned Dark Magician Knight looked out the window.

Worry was in his bones.

He'd long ago left the body of a Witty Phantom behind, but a part of it was still with him, lingering on like a faint shadow…

And right now, the small, fiendish part of him felt something in the air over the city, something that only a creature born from evil and darkness, such as a Fiend, could detect…

Something evil was indeed in the air…

…and something was about to be unleashed…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Other powerful creatures throughout the CSR felt the strange surge of energy.

In the Beast and Winged Beast Living Quarters, a colossal creature sat on a throne that had been carved out of a mountainside. It was the ruler of this realm, mostly by default… No one dared oppose it. (The other Beasts were thankful it was an herbivore).

How it came to be was a curious story. It started with a Des Kangaroo who was stronger and smarter than the average one. He became a prize fighter, and became quite an attraction in the Counsel Lower Quarters.

Then someone told him of a rumor of how his species might be able to fuse with a Big Koala. The Des Kangaroo saved his winnings, and eventually bought a Polymerization cube. It was easy to find a Big Koala willing to try it – they weren't too bright.

It worked like a charm. Soon after, someone named the fused creature the Master of Oz, although no-one is exactly sure why.

As it looked over the massive forest, it could feel it…

Something uncouth was about to happen…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Most people who worked for a living would tell you that they didn't like their boss. They always had some reason.

But there was one thing that these people often neglected. You may have to deal with your boss, and you might not like it…

But your boss often has a boss of his own to deal with. And he doesn't like dealing with him any more than you do.

At this moment, Inspector Gonzap was on the phone with his own boss, none other than Dupin himself – the Warrior formerly known as Freed the Matchless General, now Chief of Police. What that Lady Ninja Yae had said could not be ignored.

"Inspector," said Dupin's voice, "normally I wouldn't trust the word of some penny-ante crook. But this might be serious…

"If a Vampire Lord truly has possession of a Return From the Different Dimension cube, the results could be catastrophic! I suggest you get a search warrant and organize a group ASAP."

"Yes sir," said Gonzap. "I'm on it…"

As he hung up, a beep came from the phone.

"Yes?" he said, picking it up.

"Call from the Spirit of the Pharaoh," said the voice of the switchboard operator. "He says it's urgent…"

_The Spirit of the Pharaoh?_ thought Gonzap. _Is the whole Zombie Penthouses going crackers?_

"Put him through, but it has to be quick," he said.

There was a pause as the call was connected.

As Gonzap listened to what the Zombie was describing, fear crept into his bones…

It might have been too late…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

No one was more scared than two Warriors who were at the epicenter of what was causing the disturbance that gave so many Monsters a strange feeling.

EZ and Sonja were trapped behind the Swords of Revealing Light, with Natasha watching them on the other side, as something best described as a maelstrom of energy had erupted in the center of the large chamber. Baron Samedi could only be seen as a shadow within the chaotic colors of the furious storm his Trap Cube had started.

"EZ…" gulped Sonja. "EZ! What's happening?"

"That cube…" said EZ with a shiver. "Making one is grounds for a death sentence… trying to use it is punishable by use of a Capsule…

"Samedi has opened a portal to the Void! He's trying to bring someone or something out of it…

"But it's very hard to do that with any amount of accuracy! The slightest mistake, and all sorts of things that were never meant to come to this plane might come out of there!

"There are rumors of horrible creatures in the Void… Stories even speak of a… fiendish creature called Gren Maju Da Eiza…."

"What is that?" asked Sonja, quivering in fear.

"No one's ever met it and lived long enough to tell about it," said EZ, shaking his head. "If it comes out of that portal, it will be the last thing we ever see…"

Then the colored lights of the storm turned midnight blue…

"Yes…" said Samedi's voice. "My calculations were perfect… He's coming…"

"Who's coming?" shouted EZ.

"Just be quiet," said Natasha. "I'm saving you for a snack for later, but until then, you two will be able to see quite a show…"

The maelstrom started to die down, and the wind and lights subsided…

Everyone looked, and saw that in the center of the room was a figure keeled over on the floor.

EZ was rather curious. It didn't seem to be some hideous beast…

Then he realized… It was another Vampire Lord. His clothing was torn and ragged, but he was nonetheless a Vampire Lord.

Samedi grinned.

"Sergeant… Sonja… beloved…" he said. "I'd like to introduce you all to my former mentor…

"Duke Moloch…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

An alert had been raised at the CSRPD following the report from the Spirit of the Pharaoh. His description of the odd disturbance had matched that of the last time a Return From the Different Dimension cube had been used, some fifty years ago.

While the available officers were preparing for a raid, Gonzap was making a quick checklist with the highest ranking officer under him, a Penumbral Soldier Lady named Detective PSL-D66T, Deesix for short.

"We got enough Gravity Bind cubes for everyone under Level 4?" asked Gonzap.

"Not quite…" answered Deesix. "We're handing them out to the stronger ones… Matazas, Hayabusas, those who can make good use of them.

"We also called in the G9 twins. They were anxious to help."

"Who?" asked Gonzap.

"Two Getsu Fuhmas," said Deesix. "They're good dealing with Zombies and Fiends.

"And one more thing… We're waiting to get word from Dupin for approval to take a Dark Core cube out of storage. If this thing proves too difficult to beat, we may be able to send it back where it came from."

"Let's pray to the Higher Plane that we don't have to use it," muttered Gonzap. "It might take some of our men with it."

A Nanobreaker came up to them.

"Everyone is in position," she said, in the usual cold monotone that was common for her species. "The Big Core is on its way. Once it is here, we will be ready to move out."

"Good…" said Gonzap. "Let's hope that this hasn't already gone out of control."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Samedi knew that the cops were likely on their way. It didn't matter… Once he was done here, which would be long before they arrived, he would have abandoned his penthouse for a place more suiting.

Natasha walked up to the crouching form of the other Vampire Lord.

"Be careful…" said Samedi. "So many years in the Void may well have driven him mad…"

"Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you, Samedi?" said a voice from the ragged figure.

He stood up. EZ noticed that this Vampire Lord was more muscular than Samedi, and his hands were clawed.

Samedi chuckled.

"Put on some muscle since I last saw you," he said.

"Not much to do in the Void," said Moloch. "I kept my strength up by exercising whenever I could, in hopes that something like this would happen…

"It was hardly a secret, you know, Samedi… I figured out that _you_ were the one who ratted me out to the police…"

"Can you blame me?" asked Samedi. "I never liked you… You treated me like dirt… You treated everyone who worked for you like scum. Your brides were nothing more than playthings to you.

"And you were an idiot too. You released Serket, killed dozens of civilians, all for a plan that wouldn't have worked anyway.

"I did research, Moloch… Your findings were all wrong. Consuming the power of some ugly Fairy would never have turned you into the Genesis…

"But I got it right… An evil concept, distilled into material form… Then tainted with the symbol of a Fiend Lord's authority…

"It's flowing through me right now…

"And all I must do to take the step to evolve from Vampire Lord into Vampire Genesis, is make a special offering…

"I must slay another Vampire Lord!"

"Figures," muttered EZ. "The predator must prey on his own kind to go further…"

"I suppose I could have sought out Frost, or Deacon," said Samedi. "Or maybe Malkav. I mean, the others would thank me if I got rid of him.

"But I wanted it to be you… old friend. Tonight, I truly bury my old past, and start a new life…

"And I want it to be good and formal…"

He turned to Natasha.

"Natasha! Hand him his weapon."

Natasha went up to Moloch with a metal box. It opened, revealing a Spell Cube.

"The Sword of the Blood-Drinker?" asked Moloch in surprise.

"Natasha risked a lot to steal it from the police impound," said Samedi, "so be grateful."

Moloch activated the cube. A dark sword with a hilt shaped with a fanged mouth appeared in his hand.

"You're a fool for giving me my weapon…" said Moloch with a grin.

"No I'm not…" said Samedi with an evil smile.

He held up a Spell Cube of his own. With a flash, a sword just like Moloch's appeared in his hand.

"I read all your notes, all your journals," said Samedi. "I learned all your secrets…

"Let the offering battle begin!"

"So now what?" asked Sonja.

"Even if these Swords weren't in the way," said EZ, "we'd be fools to try to come between them. The most we can hope for is for them to kill each other."

EZ noticed that the Swords were starting to fade. The effect was wearing off…

"In case you two are thinking of trying anything…" said Natasha, reaching into a pouch on her belt.

She activated a Spell Cube, and in a burst of darkness, a weapon appeared in her hand.

EZ at first thought it was a Sword of Deep-Seated, but it wasn't…

It was an Axe of Despair. Samedi truly broke the bank for this operation.

"…forget it," she continued. "You two were pretty persistent, but you gotta know when to quit."

EZ sighed.

He still had his Fusion Sword, and one Rush Recklessly cube, but odds were that Natasha had more Spell Cubes that could make her even stronger.

He considered the Trap Cube that Elfour had given him…

If he used it, he could give Natasha a nasty surprise, and then kill her easily…

But this kind of Trap… Using it wasn't a matter of just hitting a button. It had to be used the right way, with the right timing. If it was used wrong, and it didn't work right, it would be a very bad thing…

It could make a monster stronger, but the risk was great.

All he could do now was watch, nearly helpless, as Baron Samedi and Duke Moloch prepared to fight…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As helpless as EZ felt, they didn't feel as helpless as the five very unhappy Amazons that they had left behind.

Sarah (the Fighter) was continually checking the bars of the Nightmare's Steelcage, and it wasn't showing any signs of weakening yet. Clearly, this was an improved, longer-lasting version of Samedi's own design.

The Spellbinding Circle that had been trapping Sweetums had worn off. The Tiger couldn't do anything to free them, but she stood watch, ready to pounce on anyone who came to get them while they were vulnerable.

"What do you suppose is happening?" asked Amanda.

"Dunno…" said the other Swords Woman. "All I know is that if Samedi turns into some super-vampire, he's likely gonna be pretty hungry, and he'll probably see this as a five-course meal…"

"Maybe that was why he used the cage in the first place…" muttered Sarah.

Cora held her knees to her chest and trembled a bit.

"Sonja's still alive…" she said, nervously. "If she were dead, I'd feel it…

"I just don't know how long…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Samedi and Moloch's eyes glowed red…

They charged towards each other, and the two swords slammed against each other, sending a shower of sparks.

Moloch took the first advantage, advancing and raining blows down with his blade several times.

"You don't really think you can beat me?" he said with a grin. "I taught you everything you know, Samedi!"

"Yes, you taught me plenty…" said Samedi. "Like, you taught me that a good time to strike was when your opponent stops to gloat!"

He waved his hand, and Moloch flew towards the opposite wall, slamming into it with a crash.

Moloch sat up and held his head…

He looked up to see Samedi leap towards him.

The older vampire met him with a fierce kick, and Samedi fell over.

Moloch leapt to his feet. Samedi got up.

EZ shook his head as he watched.

Among Warriors of the Central Shadow Realm, there were five "proper" schools of swordsmanship: one-handed, two-handed, two-sword, sword-and-shield, and fencing. EZ and most Warriors of his build had no problem alternating between one-handed and two-handed.

These two guys weren't Warriors, and EZ guessed that it was rare for a Vampire Lord to get into a fight with swords. He assumed that most of them killed their victims – who were likely usually much weaker than they were – with their bare hands. A fair fight would be rare.

Just watching this, their style didn't seem to match any of the styles that EZ knew about. He assumed at this point that it was something different… Perhaps a more ancient form of swordplay used by darker creatures. It seemed to combine the usual thrusts, parries, and swings with supernatural ability for maximum effect.

Moloch flew towards his enemy, and Samedi didn't move in the slightest…

Then he vanished in a blur, and Moloch's sword cleaved a stone bench in two.

Moloch turned around…

Samedi appeared, and kicked him in the groin. The older vampire doubled over in pain.

"That's fighting dirty…" grunted Moloch.

"Someone taught me a _lot_ of ways of fighting dirty," chuckled Samedi.

The swords clashed again. Samedi started to stagger backwards… Then he made a mighty blow, and advanced on Moloch…

Then the two swords slammed together in a ferocious blow, and both of them shattered into pieces of black metal.

Moloch looked dumbfounded at the remains of his weapon.

"That's a shame…" said Samedi, tossing what was left of his away. "But it's not like I'll need it once this is over anyway…"

Then the two of them grappled, and a struggle ensued…

"I don't even know who to rout for," said Sonja.

"I don't know either…" said EZ. "If Samedi wins, he becomes the Vampire Genesis… But if he loses, Moloch might be even worse. We come out badly either way."

Then the Fusion Sword in his hand started to glow with a black aura.

"Sonja…" he muttered. "More bad news…"

The sword crumbled and fell apart. Its magic had been spent.

"Are we going to die here?" asked Sonja.

"I don't know…" muttered EZ. "Let's just say that regardless of what happens here, it's been a good ride…"

"Oh, are you two gonna start kissing now?" asked Natasha with a laugh. "An Obnoxious Celtic Guardian and an Amazoness Paladin… That'll be the day!"

Samedi and Moloch shoved each other apart…

Samedi slugged Moloch in the face…

Moloch punched Samedi in the mouth, and a spray of saliva flew from the impact…

In the same instant, both of them grabbed each other's neck, and held each other in a choke-hold.

"You can't beat me…" growled Moloch. "I made you… and I can unmake you…"

Samedi reached into his cloak…

He hit the button on a Spell Cube, and a Violet Crystal appeared around his neck like an amulet.

An evil smile appeared on his face, as he wrenched Moloch's hand away from his neck, and then grabbed hold of Moloch's neck with both hands.

"I'll never forget the first rule of getting ahead that you taught me," he said as he squeezed. "When you make your own rules, there's no cheating!"

EZ and Sonja watched with horror while Natasha watched with excitement…

With a loud snap, the fight was over.

There was the tensest pause.

Although Moloch was dead, his body didn't shatter right away. Samedi gripped his fallen foe by the shoulders…

And then a dark aura started to surround him…

"Yes…" laughed Samedi. "Yes! It's happening!"

"What's happening?" shouted Sonja.

"Simple," said Natasha. "He's using Moloch's departing life energy to fuel the transformation."

EZ was aghast. That was inhuman…

He pounded on the restraining Swords. Unfortunately, they may have been fading, but they still held.

"Give it up, honey," said Natasha. "Even if you broke free, even if you could get by me, if you so much as touched him during the transformation, the negative energy would suck out your life force and turn you into a burnt-out husk.

"Right now, not even he could stop it if he wanted to…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Inside the Big Core, the Nanobreaker prepared to pilot the craft holding a squad of CSRPD troops to the destination.

"We're all set, Inspector," she said.

Then menacing purple clouds started to appear over the horizon.

"Inclement weather approaching," she said. "A minor inconvenience. Easily adjusted for."

_Inclement weather?_ thought Gonzap. _Purple storm clouds?_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ironically, before the crisis had started, Pumpking the King of Ghosts was about to announce his decision regarding the dispute between the Insects and the Plants. However, the threat of a portal to the Void had forced a recess to be called in the Shadow Council.

Exodia the Forbidden One sat in an armchair in the lounge of his private palace, a place where, ironically, he didn't spend much time. He didn't have much of a life outside his work, and he certainly wasn't very social.

He massaged his temples, his migraine pounding as it always did.

Most folks thought that Exodia was simply an incredibly powerful monster who was the leader of the governing body of the Central Shadow Realm. Actually, he was more. Exodia was born in the fires that created the Shadow Realm, and he existed as sort of a _genus loci_ for the place. You could compare him to Gaea or Mother Earth in that regard. The Shadow Realm could not exist without him.

As such, Exodia could sense when incredibly important things happened in "his" domain. While he couldn't tell what every monster in existence was doing (trying to would only have made his migraines worse), he sensed when something big was happening.

At this moment, his eyes narrowed as a feeling came to him. He had never felt it before, and yet he recognized it…

A Vampire Genesis had been created…

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**0**

**Game Card Equivalent**

**SWORD OF THE BLOOD-DRINKER (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Card Description:** This card may be Equipped to a Monster with the word "Vampire" in its name. When this card is Equipped, name one Type of Monster. The Equipped Monster gains 1,000 ATK when battling the named Monster. If the Equipped Monster is destroyed by a card effect, return this card to your hand.

**0 **

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Does EZ and Sonja stand a chance against the nastiest type of vampire known to exist? The final chapter, at long last, is coming up next. And it's gonna be a good one, as EZ finally gets to use the Trap that Elfour gave him! But Sonja has a little surprise of her own.


	13. Beckoning Light

At long last, the conclusion…

Sit tight…

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**Chapter Thirteen**

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**Beckoning Light**

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The Big Core landed in a wide-open space in Penthouse District of the Zombie Living Quarters. All members of the CSRPD on board checked their gear one last time.

"Everyone remember where we parked," said one of the Getsu Fuhmas.

"This isn't the time for jokes," said Gonzap.

The dark clouds were getting thicker, and personally, he didn't like them.

"What in Shinato's name…" he muttered. "This is…"

"Maybe that's the portal to the Void," said Deesix, looking at it.

Gonzap shook his head.

"I remember the last time a portal to the Void was opened," he replied. "The energy it radiated was best described as Chaos.

"This isn't Chaos… This is pure Evil…

"If I didn't know better, I'd swear…"

He stopped short.

"Yes?" asked Deesix.

Gonzap took a long time to answer.

"The portal to the Void may have come and gone," he said. "And it may have just been a stepping stone to a far more sinister plot…"

He spoke up.

"Everyone, listen up! If what that crook said was true, Samedi owns many powerful trap and spell cubes, so watch where you step. And also…

"At the first sight of a monster that cannot be identified, we go to a Class Fourteen maneuver."

Everyone present stared at him.

It was very uncommon for a Class Fourteen maneuver to be ordered. Simply put, there was no such thing as a Class _Fifteen_ maneuver.

Class Fourteen was a set of guidelines you followed when you truly had no idea what your enemy could do. As one could imagine, it was used rarely, and its success rate was about even.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

EZ and Sonja were even more horrified than they were before…

The flux of negative energy had stopped, and nothing remained of Moloch but a black scorch mark on the floor.

As for Samedi, or what they assumed was him, he was kneeling on the ground, having swelled to half-again his size, and having become more muscular than any Warrior EZ had ever seen. He was even bigger than Gilford the Lightning, someone whom he had the privilege of meeting at a charity event once. His clothing had torn, and his skin had turned dark violet.

"Beloved?" said Natasha, slowly.

She ran up to him.

"Mirror…" said Samedi, in a much deeper, much more sinister voice. "I need a mirror…"

Natasha quickly pulled a hand-mirror out of her pouch as Samedi stood up…

He was like a thing from a nightmare now. He resembled more a Fiend than a Zombie, with a tusked mouth and bald, knobbed cranium. His hands and feet had grown into wicked talons, and he had grown from six-feet-tall and slim, to nearly eight-feet-tall and hulking.

Samedi chuckled as he looked at his reflection.

"Well…" he said. "I'm not as handsome as I used to be… But then again, I never was a very vain guy! I can adjust."

"So can I!" laughed Natasha in joy, hugging his arm. "Oh, those Ladies with Frost and Galbrade are going to be _so_ jealous…"

"Jealous?" shouted EZ. "Samedi, you look like a psycho! Did you actually think that the key to financial clout was to turn yourself into something that looks like it came out of Dark World?"

Samedi took a step forward, and then stumbled. Natasha helped him up.

"Whoa…" he said. "This takes some getting used to…

"As for your concern, Sergeant, I knew all along that I might have had to give up a few… aesthetic qualities. But anyone who tries to challenge me now because I 'look like a psycho,' as you put it, is going to have to answer to more power than any vampire has ever held…

"And the two of you are no longer worth my time.

"Natasha, darling, do with them as you planned. I'm going to get my own nourishment."

He stumbled again, and headed for the door.

Sonja's eyes opened wide.

"SISTERS!" she shouted.

She realized quickly what Samedi meant by "nourishment"… Her fellow Amazons, her true sister included, were in danger.

The Swords of Revealing Light were quickly fading. Sonja raised her sword, hoping one good blow would shatter them…

As Samedi left with a small chuckle, Natasha approached them. She lifted the Axe of Despair and palmed a trap cube.

EZ quickly recognized it. A Shadow Spell.

"You're hardly a threat to me, EZ," said Natasha, "so I'm gonna deal with your girlfriend first – I'll just tie her up and make you watch…"

Sonja's blade fell against the barrier, and the Swords finally shattered.

"OVER MY DEAD BODY!" shouted EZ.

His Fusion Sword Murasame Blade might have been gone, but he still had the sword that had been his hand when he had appeared out of nowhere, more than fifty years ago. He threw it like a javelin, and Natasha shrieked as it hit her hand, and the trap cube flew out of it.

"Oh, now I'm angry…" said the Vampire Lady, lifting the Axe. "Seems you two just don't know when to quit… Well let me show you…"

Most Warriors who had just thrown their weapon at an enemy would be worried if that enemy came at them with an Axe of Despair. However, EZ happened to know a strategy against such an enemy, especially one who was as light and slim as a Vampire Lady. After all, such weapons were usually found in the hands of much… bigger monsters.

Natasha leapt for him, holding the Axe above her head…

And then EZ fell to the ground, and rolled out of the way.

As he expected, Natasha's weapon buried itself into the ground, driven there by its own weight and the fact that Natasha's relatively small size made her awkward while using it.

Natasha strained to free the Axe, but EZ was not about to give her that chance. He gave her a kick to the gut that had all his strength behind it, and she toppled over.

Okay, step one was finished. He had gotten the deadly weapon away from her.

Unfortunately…

She was still stronger than he was, and his weapon was lying on the floor ten feet behind her.

This was gonna be hard.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A Trap Master surveyed the entrance hall.

"All clear," he said. "No active traps. But there are a few burnt-out cubes in here… One Imperial Order, two Fake Traps, two Dust Tornadoes, one Covering Fire, and one…"

He paused.

"Uhm, I believe it was a Skill Drain."

"Skill Drain?" exclaimed Gonzap, as his troops started to walk in. "What in Dark World happened in here?"

The Nanobreaker's eyes flashed with light as she surveyed the surroundings. She held up a portable device.

"Sir," she said. "I'm picking up some fading auras. One appears to have been a Ryu Kokki… I believe it is dead."

She paused.

"Eight other monsters passed through here recently. Seven of them Earth Warriors, one Level Three, the rest Level Four… The eighth was an Earth Beast, also Level Four."

"A group of Earth Warriors and one Beast?" asked Gonzap. "That usually means one thing, but not in a place like this…"

"Sir…" said the Nanobreaker. "I've gotten an identification on one of the auras. It was in the CSRPD files…"

She showed it to him. Gonzap held his head.

"EZ…" he muttered. "You'd better be alive, because I want to yell at you…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

EZ wasn't in the best situation.

Natasha had him on the ground, and was very close to achieving a pin. He knew that once she did, there'd be nothing between his neck and those fangs…

Finally, her hand secured his left hand to the ground. She grinned evilly.

Her mouth opened slightly, revealing those pointed teeth… EZ started to sweat.

Then he realized something…

He thrust his head up, hitting her forehead with the front of his helmet. She shrieked again and let go, enough for him to shove her off.

A common question that non-Warriors asked Warriors was, what was the point of a helmet? Did anyone ever strike at the head? Next time someone asked him that, he'd tell him about this.

He looked, holding his head, and saw Sonja reaching for something. He grinned slightly.

He made a beckoning gesture at Natasha. She pounced like a cat.

He was ready. He punched her full in the face.

It had stopped her, but it hadn't hurt her much. She stared at him with a look of hate.

"I've had enough, EZ…" she said, reaching into her sack, "now you're gonna…"

A trap cube rolled at her feet.

She looked at it.

"NO!" she screamed, as she realized what it was.

There was a burst of light…

After the flash subsided, Natasha was there, and chains embedded in the floor held her by the wrists, ankles, and waist. Sonja had recovered the Shadow Spell that Natasha had planned to use on her.

EZ frowned. He picked up his sword.

Natasha grinned nervously.

"You… you wouldn't strike down someone who was helpless, would you?" she asked.

"I'm not sure…" said EZ. "Doing that might be more merciful, actually…

"I could just leave you here for the cops, in which case you'd be arrested and charged as an accessory to opening a portal to the Void. I'm sure they'd find a Capsule that would fit you nicely…"

Natasha's eyes widened in fear…

EZ sighed.

"No…" he said. "It's a fate that I wouldn't wish on anyone."

He raised his sword.

"Never let it be said I wasn't merciful…"

Natasha shut her eyes tight as the sword fell…

One second later, the empty chains fell to the ground.

EZ wiped his brow.

He quickly looked through the sack.

Three Violet Crystals and two Swords of Dark Destruction. Both were worthless to the two of them.

"Come on," said EZ to Sonja. "Let's catch up to the big guy before he turns your sisters into lunch."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Hold up…" said Gonzap.

He looked into the room where the line was drawn across the floor.

"I know this set-up," he said. "This was in one of Ha Des's old places before he abandoned it. That wall is rigged with Dark Cores…

"Somebody hand me an Imperial Order…"

Deesix handed him the powerful trap cube.

"Someone make a note," said Gonzap, as he activated the powerful trap. "If we take Samedi alive, the cost of these cubes is coming out of him."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Uh, EZ, one question…" asked Sonja.

"Yeah?" he replied.

"Once we catch up to Samedi," she asked, "exactly what are we gonna _do_?"

EZ's brow furrowed. He honestly didn't know.

He had two cubes remaining – a Rush Recklessly and… Elfour's gift. He doubted that Rush Recklessly would be enough, and he knew that the gift was only slightly better, assuming he used it right.

"Uh, do you have any cubes left?" he asked.

Sonja didn't answer at once.

"Maybe…" she replied.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"All clear," said the Trap Master.

Gonzap peeked into the dark lounge where the fight between EZ's forces and Samedi's first took place.

He was met by an angry growl, and was shocked to see a large tiger guarding a large cage that was holding five Amazons prisoner.

"Down, Sweetums," said Amanda. "Uh, hi… Do any of you happen to have a Mystical Space Typhoon cube or a Giant Trunade handy?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Samedi paused in the center of the vast cavern where EZ had fought Morphenian.

Each Vampire Lord had a close connection to his brides, and becoming the Vampire Genesis had not altered his.

Now he felt it… His bride had been killed.

"Rest easy, my love…" he said. "I will avenge you…"

He turned, and waited.

After about a minute, EZ and Sonja ran into the cavern.

Samedi raised his hand, and the whole place started to rumble. The ceiling started to crack.

EZ grabbed Sonja and shoved her out of the way as four stalactites fell where they had been standing.

"Do you know what you are to me now, Sergeant?" asked Samedi, crossing his arms. "Nothing, that's what. I may have once been a member of your species a long time ago, but I know now that the part of me that was once like you is dead. Even the body of a Red Moon Baby was a better one."

"Do tell…" muttered EZ. "Why do you guys always make speeches, anyway?"

"You remember when we met in that restaurant, right?" asked Samedi, ignoring the wisecrack. "I didn't want to kill you at that point. But if I wanted to, I would have. Even though I knew that there were two off-duty police sergeants, one of Zaborg's magistrates, and an aide that worked for Forseti himself dining there at the time. Do you know why? Because even as a Vampire Lord, I had more power than you could ever dream of.

"And now… My power is so great, the other Lords will be forced to accept me as their master. I've grown stronger than you could dream of growing."

He started to glow with a red aura. EZ switched on the Rush Recklessly cube…

"And when an insignificant pest proves to be an annoyance," he said in a voice that sounded more evil than ever, "it's time to show it just what true power can do!

"Crimson shroud!"

Samedi burst into a cloud of blood-red mist, and charged at EZ. The Obnoxious Celtic Guardian screamed as he was propelled against the wall.

EZ slowly started to lose consciousness. He knew that if it were not for the powers of his species, he'd be dead at this point…

Even so… In a few minutes, he probably would be anyway…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

EZ opened his eyes and looked around.

He gasped in fright. He was on a landscape burning with fire.

As he took it in, however, he noticed that he felt no heat. The fire wasn't burning him.

In front of him was a lava pool.

Then he noticed something strange… A woman was relaxing in it as if it were a hot tub!

The woman got up and stepped out. She turned to face him.

EZ was dumbfounded…

"Elfour?" he said in a whisper.

"The one and only, hot-shot," she said.

"Where are we?" he asked, looking around. "Is this where Fire monsters go when they die?"

"It's too hard to explain," said Elfour. "Suffice to say, I'm happy here."

"Am I dead?" he asked.

"Not yet," she replied. "Hopefully not for a long time. I just thought you needed a little pep talk. I wanted to clear the air once and for all… About what you had to do…"

"Elfour…" said EZ, with tears forming in his eyes.

"Quiet, hon," she said, putting her finger on his lips. "I never got a chance to tell you this, so I'll tell you now. I'm glad you made the decision you made. You see, when I was trying to kill you, inside I was trying my hardest to resist, without success. And I was praying as much as I could that you would beat me.

"You see… I knew that if you didn't, I'd just keep going until I was killed. And I didn't want to take you with me.

"In a way, you did me a favor."

EZ looked at her.

"I never thought of it that way…" he said.

"Now, you gotta go back there and take out tall, dark, and gruesome," she said. "If you don't stop him, this will be only the beginning of his evil. The Vampire Lords will become more tyrannical and less subtle under his leadership. The business world of the CSR will turn grim and darker than ever. Who knows? They may even try to stop relying on Pumpking and admit that they rule their part of town.

"And they won't stop there… They'll use every dirty trick to get every other Counsel member in their pocket, and eventually, they'll grow strong enough to topple Exodia himself.

"Samedi is a tumor, and you have to remove it before it grows too strong to stop."

"But how?" asked EZ. "Samedi is in the same class as a Blue-Eyes now! Maybe stronger…"

"Don't underestimate your current partner," she replied. "I know she has something that might help. And you can too.

"And one more thing…

"My biggest regret was that I never got to make a proper goodbye. So let's do that now…"

She held his face in his hands and kissed him on the lips, deeply and hot energy flowed into him.

"Now go back there, and make me proud…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

EZ slowly stirred. Sonja was holding him.

He didn't know if that had really been Elfour or if it had just been a hallucination that the shock had caused. But whatever the case, he had made up his mind. He would fight on until the end. There had to be some way…

Although he didn't know how he was going to do it. He was sure at least two of his ribs had been cracked by that last blow, and his entire right arm was numb. His right arm was the one he used his sword with…

"Still alive?" asked Samedi. "Well, I guess I can't smash you… I'm just going to have to _eat_ you!"

"EZ…" said Sonja, reaching into her pouch. "We have one last chance. Oh, every Amazon who has had custody of this has _prayed_ she would never have to use it, but it's the only way… I have no idea just how strong he is now… I know nothing about the Vampire Genesis, but…"

She took her final Spell Cube out of her pouch.

"SONJA!" gasped EZ. "That's a Gift of the Martyr cube! Where in all of creation…"

"No time to explain," replied Sonja. "When I activate it, my strength will be added to yours for five minutes. Hopefully, it will be enough to take out that abomination."

"But then you'll _die_ when those five minutes are up!" protested EZ. "We can't…"

"He'd kill us both anyway," said Sonja. "No choice… It has to be done."

"Sonja, no!" shouted EZ.

He paused.

"If anything, let me use on you, and then you can…"

Sonja hit the button on the cube, and she slumped to the ground. EZ felt his wounds healing, and his muscles bulge…

"You don't have a choice now…" said Sonja, weakly. "Go get him… And EZ… I was happy to be a friend… For a little while…"

She passed out.

EZ looked at Samedi.

He reached into his pouch and took out his own final cube. Elfour's gift.

_Now's the time,_ he thought.

He hit the button on it, and then placed it on Sonja's chest.

"All right, Samedi…" he said. "Time to show you how 'insignificant' I can be!"

He looked at the glowing Gift of the Martyr cube.

_I just hope it's enough…_ he thought. _That was a pretty powerful threat, so I hope I can back it up._

He leapt up, holding his sword out, leaping at the Vampire Genesis…

He slashed across Samedi's chest, and the Vampire actually screamed and stumbled backwards.

"How dare you!" he shouted. "Let's see if you survive it this time…

"Crimson shroud!"

Samedi burst into the destructive cloud again, and charged towards EZ, but this time, the Warrior swatted it aside with his blade, and it flew towards the opposite end of the cavern. Samedi reformed, just in time to crash into the wall. Rubble fell from the ceiling, raining on the creature.

Samedi slowly got up.

"I won't let you defeat me…" he cursed. "I've been working towards this for too long… My power is my life…"

He raised his hand, and boulders tore out of the ground.

They flew towards EZ, and he leapt up. He leapt on one, and then leapt to another, and then to another, using them as stepping stones to get to his foe. He leapt at Samedi and slashed across his chest again.

Samedi screamed again. Now there was an X-shaped scar on his chest bleeding black blood.

"You wanted power, Samedi?" asked EZ. "Well let me tell you something… In this crazy world, power is indeed what makes someone important. Some people were born into power. They were the lucky ones. Some people earned their power, using wealth, hard work, or both. They were the efficient ones.

"But you? You _stole_ your power. You used trickery, deceit, and betrayal to become what you thought would give you power.

"And in the end, that's not something to be respected. That's something to be despised.

"Silver blade slash!"

The sword of the Obnoxious Celtic Guardian cut deep into the flesh of the Vampire Genesis, and Baron Samedi's final scream echoed throughout the whole complex…

As EZ stumbled backwards the Vampire Genesis exploded into minute triangles.

EZ paused to catch his breath.

"Burn in Dark World, Samedi…" he muttered.

His sword fell on the ground with a clatter.

"You know…" he muttered. "For a nothing, that was really something…"

The strength was slowly leaving him. He walked up to Sonja, who was lying on the ground.

He watched as she breathed her last…

…or did she?

The trap cube glowed, and a spectral, golden rope appeared, encircling Sonja's body. Her eyes opened a little, and then they opened wide as a golden glow covered her.

"Th…" she muttered. "This is a Rope of Life… EZ… Where did you get this?"

EZ sighed.

"Elfour gave it to me…" he replied. "I was saving it for a special occasion. I guess you might say I decided that the special occasion finally came…"

Sonja sat up and took the trap cube as it slowly burnt out, its magic spent. EZ held her close.

They looked at the scorched remains of where their foe had been.

"Freeze!" shouted a voice.

EZ sighed, as a mob of police rushed in, led by Gonzap, holding their weapons high.

"Where's Samedi?" demanded Gonzap.

"Dead…" muttered EZ. "You folks came late for the party…"

Gonzap lowered his weapon. He looked at the large scorchmark.

"He turned himself into the Vampire Genesis, didn't he?" he asked.

"Yeah…" said EZ nodding. "The first. Hopefully the last, because I sure as Slifer don't ever want to do _that_ again..."

Gonzap looked at EZ.

"EZ, I don't know whether to arrest you for vigilantism or give you a medal," he muttered. "Sometimes I wish I was still a lowly Level Four so I could do things this crazy…"

EZ put his arm around Sonja.

"I'm a private eye, old friend…" he replied. "I was just doing what this client had hired me to do. I guess it turned out to be a bigger job than I at first thought…"

Gonzap sighed.

"Listen, EZ," he said. "You may well have destroyed one of the most potentially dangerous creatures that we had hoped would never have to be dealt with…

"For the longest time, I've been practically begging you to accept your old job back. I'm not going to do that this time… Ask you to accept your _old_ job back…"

EZ looked at him.

"I'm certain that once Dupin finds out what you did," continued Gonzap, "he'll approve of me letting you back on the force… With a promotion to Detective.

"That is, if you aren't so damn stubborn enough to turn even that down."

EZ got up.

"Well…" he said, "give me a week for my bruises to heal, and I'll be there at first shift.

"I suppose it is finally time…"

"Just keep one thing in mind…" said the Mystic Swordsman, sternly. "Until you make Inspector, which I can practically _guarantee_ will happen someday, I still outrank you, and you'll do what I say from now on!"

"Of course… boss…" replied EZ.

**0 0 0 0 0**

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**Epilogue**

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**0 0 0 0 0**

The Shadow Council listened closely as Pumpking cleared its throat.

"Ahem…" said the King of Ghosts, as the Machine King and the Rude Kaiser looked on. "I have considered both of your claims very carefully, taking into account all variables…

"And it is my decision that the territory in question is rightful property of the Green Phantom King and his subjects."

The Rude Kaiser growled and clenched his fist, as the Machine King crossed its arms.

Exodia the Forbidden One spoke up.

"The Counsel would like to thank the Zombie Representative for its help in resolving this matter…" he said.

He turned to the Machine, Rock, and Plant Representative and the Insect, Dinosaur, and Reptile Monitor.

"As for the two of you…" he said, "I hope now this squabbling can end. The very last thing we need is for Plants and Insects to start fighting. Do I make myself clear?"

A long pause was the only answer he needed.

"Very well…" he said. "We will now move on… Who else has new issues to address?"

The lights on eleven podiums lit up.

The Forbidden One groaned and held his head as it started to throb.

It looked like they were going to be here for a while…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The sign at The Red Cent now read as followed:

**NO LOITERING**

**NO FIGHTING**

The rule forbidding Pikerus was now lifted. Orville had been sorry to see Sally go, but he was glad she had found a better job.

He had found a new waitress quickly. He sent word out that he wanted someone who was Level Three or less, and thus able to use Gravity Bind cubes and similar tools like the kind Sally had used to deter fighting. Someone who was that low-level would have to be crazy not to apply for such a good job.

The patrons had to admit that it was a little different seeing a Cyber Tutu wait on the tables rather than the familiar face of the Ebon Magician Curran, but the new waitress was already starting to endear herself to everyone.

Right now, three Warriors were sitting at a table over greasy plates. One was EZ, another was Sonja, and the third was an Empress Judge who had yet to choose a name, but likely would soon.

"So…" said EZ, "what next? Got anything lined up?"

"I'm considering a few things," said the Empress Judge. "Folks are coming to me now. It's all I ever dreamed of."

"Well, good luck…" said EZ. "You're in the big leagues now… You don't have to paint and hope people buy them anymore."

The Warrior who had once been two got up and threw a ten-spot on the table.

"I'm just glad you're back on the force, EZ," she said. "It was a long time coming. Good luck… Detective."

As she left, Sonja spoke up.

"You didn't have to use that trap cube on me…" she sighed.

"Well, an old friend kind of made me decide to," he replied. "Besides, I was going to have to use it sooner or later.

"That reminds me… Where in all of creation did you get a Gift of the Martyr cube? The police keep those under the tightest lock and key…"

Sonja slowly stirred her coffee.

"Do you know the Cosmo Queen?" she asked.

EZ nodded.

"When she comes into town, she always hires a retinue of Amazons as bodyguards. Mostly, we're for show. Anything that could threaten her would have no problem getting past us.

"Anyway, when she leaves, she doesn't pay us in money. I don't think money matters much in the… place where she comes from. She gives us an incredibly powerful spell cube instead.

"Over the years we've worked for her many times, and gotten many of these cubes. The Amazons rotate custody of them. Most of the time, there's one for each of us.

"It was my turn to take custody of that Gift of the Martyr. Good thing too…"

She reached into her pouch and took out a small slip of paper.

"By the way," she said with a smile, "Alamere paid Cora and me a big advance, and the rest of the tribe wanted to help, so now I can give you this…"

EZ took the slip of paper, which was a check…

"This… this is a lot of money!" he exclaimed. "What's it for?"

"Your fee, of course," replied Sonja. "Two-hundred a day, plus expenses. I insist."

EZ sighed. He had almost forgotten.

"So…" said Sonja. "I guess they'll be getting you a new partner?"

"Dunno…" said EZ. "But I can deal with one. Elfour will always be in my heart, but I've finally managed to make peace with what happened."

Sonja nodded and got up.

"I'd better go…" she said. "Alamere is really strict about her employees being on time.

"But if you ever need me, you know where the Amazon Complex is."

The Obnoxious Celtic Guardian leaned back in his chair and watched as the Amazoness Paladin walked out of the restaurant.

"Waitress…" he said, as the Cyber Tutu walked by. "Check please…"

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**_In the crazy, mixed up world of the Central Shadow Realm, literally anything can happen. Betrayals happen where alliances once were, as the case of Baron Samedi, the Lord who would be king, shows plainly._**

A former cop working as a PI never expected to rejoin the force, remembering how a tragedy made him question his ability. But his hardest case allowed him to make peace with the past, and return to the force with greater standing and a brighter future.

And friendships form from unlikely beginnings. Few of Sonja's kind would ever consider a male Warrior a friend, but a shaky alliance grew into a bond that could not be severed.

And even if EZ and Sonja never meet again, the bond will still be there. It will persist, possibly until both have gone to the Graveyard and beyond.

It's a crazy, mixed-up world…

It's the Central Shadow Realm.

**_FINIS_**


End file.
